Work has begun on Gillingham's new Civic Square, with £605,000 for lighting, murals and seating. The market stays open and the square is due next year.
Work has started on a new Civic Square in Gillingham High Street, at the crossroads with Sappers Walk and Green Street.
Medway Council announced the start today. It says the High Street stays open throughout, and the finished square is expected next year. It has not published a month.
What is being built
The contractor, Blakedown Landscapes, is due to add:
- new lighting and projectors
- creative art installations and murals
- seating
- planted areas
Separately, the council is installing new bins along the High Street, CCTV cameras and refurbished toilets.
Naushabah Khan, the MP for Gillingham and Rainham, who chairs the Gillingham Taskforce, said the work also includes tarmac resurfacing.
Who is paying
The council says the improvements are funded by:
- £575,000 from Medway’s Pride in Place Impact Fund, secured from the Government
- £30,000 from the Twydall Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board
That makes £605,000 by our addition. The council’s release does not give a total cost.
What they said
Cllr Harinder Mahil, the council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, called the square a potential “physical and cultural focal point for everyone who lives, works and visits here”.
Ms Khan said: “As long as I am MP, Gillingham High Street will be a key area of focus for improvement and renewal.”
The square was previewed at the Love Gillingham Big Day Out on 19 July. It comes out of the town centre vision and action plan drawn up with a community panel of 40 local people.
What it means for you
Shoppers: nothing closes. The council says the High Street remains “open for business as usual”.
Market customers: Gillingham Market carries on every Monday and Saturday. Stalls normally in the square will move elsewhere on the High Street during the work, so your usual trader may have moved.
The council posts taskforce updates at medway.gov.uk/LoveGillingham.
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