Maidstone High Street - Kent Design Guide

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OVERVIEW

The high-quality Fremlin Walk development, completed in 2005, shifted the focus of retail in Maidstone. A decade on, there was a clear need to increase footfall and improve the viability of retailers in the High Street, a major public transport and pedestrian artery that connects the main retail core southwest towards the River Medway.

The 1.2 ha site comprised the full length of High Street, Bank Street and a short section of King Street, leading to the Mall Shopping Centre, and also included the alleyways connecting Middle Row and Bank Street. The project aimed to reduce the dominance of the highway by relocating it to the north side of the street, and remove street clutter to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

CONTEXT

The quality of the overall pedestrian environment in this area was outdated and uninviting. Pavements were poorly maintained, uneven and cracked, while traffic, congestion and parked cars created significant impediments to movement and gave the area a transient atmosphere. Underused and underappreciated, the county town’s important historic centre and conservation area were under serious threat.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The Maidstone High Street Public Realm scheme used a hybrid design concept, combining elements of shared space design with more conventional demarcation of vehicular routes. Every aspect was influenced by stakeholders, including bus and taxi operators, retailers, the public, Town Centre Management and groups representing people with disabilities.

Location:

Maidstone, Kent

Project Type:

Public Realm improvement

Completed:

2014

Local Authority:

Maidstone Borough Council

Architect / Designer:

Letts Wheeler Architects (Nottingham)

Main builder/contractor:

Eurovia (Enfield, Middlesex)

Two large pedestrian ‘squares’ were created around two Listed structures – the Queen Victoria Monument and the Cannon – that were previously isolated in traffic islands. Jubilee Square, in Upper High Street, is fairly formal, with new seating areas aligned with the carriageway framing the edge of the space leading towards the Town Hall.

In the Lower High Street, the Cannon is placed more centrally within a relaxed, informal space, with granite benches interspersed among trees.

The carriageway has been narrowed and traffic volumes reduced by restricting access to buses, taxis and disabled drivers only.

Footpaths have been resurfaced with a high-quality granite finish; shallow raised kerbs allow informal pedestrian crossing while providing safe routes and crossing points for people with disabilities.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

The public were encouraged to comment on the six shortlisted designs from the initial RIBA competition selection process at an exhibition in 2009. A further public consultation event for the initial design development was held in January 2010. Intensive discussions followed with key stakeholders, notably Kent County Council’s Mobility Officer, Kent Association for the Blind, Guide Dogs for the Blind, a representative of disabled people and Age UK, regarding the number and location of controlled crossing points, kerb heights, use of blister pavement and guided walking channels.

During the implementation, the contractor appointed a public liaison officer and established a 24/7 hotline to field concerns from the community. Maidstone Borough Council created dedicated pages on its website, providing information on the design and phasing of the construction, and held monthly public meeting with retailers.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Using tried-and-tested methods and materials ensures the High Street is easy and cost-effective to maintain and repair. All paving is granite, which is hardwearing and durable, with darker flecks and marbling that help camouflage everyday urban scuffs and stains. Four types of granite laid in different patterns provide visual variety, and give the High Street an attractive, unified appearance; dark granite bands reflect the ancient burgage plots.
Excavations during Phase 2 construction produced over 1,470 tonnes of various waste materials, of which 96% was either recycled or reused on-site. Around 70% of excavated waste materials were recycled locally rather than at the main contractor’s site at Dartford, saving 3,750 miles of transport. Fifteen new trees were planted to replace three that were removed.
The project team went to great lengths to understand the needs of people with visual impairments and physical disabilities. To ensure the new narrower carriageway and bus stop layouts would work, they built a replica of the High Street at the Arriva bus depot to allow real-world testing and refinement.

OUTCOMES

Retailers’ concerns about the impact of the works on footfall, deliveries and customer were managed successfully and mitigated by a rates reduction for all businesses in the area; no further issues have bene reported since completion. Local bus operators have experienced no problems with the narrower carriageway and bus stop layout. The creation of Jubilee Square had a significant positive impact, with Maidstone’s Town Team, Area Arts Partnership, Town Centre Management and others all using the new space for events, music, dance and markets.