A local resident, who wished not to be named, commented: "The number of times I have seen furniture and home appliances dumped on the service road adjacent to Henry Street is appalling. I have also witnessed youths just throwing litter only a few metres away from a public bin - it isn't that hard to put your litter in the bin, not on the street." The new signs have been installed on several lampposts in the area, aiming to tackle fly-tipping which is a major issue. There have also been additional proposals suggested to Arches Local, including the installation of more CCTV cameras and more bins.
To find out more about the proposed improvements in the Luton Arches area, please click here. On Thursday 19 March 2015, over 45 guests joined staff from mhs homes to celebrate the launch of Theatre Quarter, built on the site of the historic Theatre Royal auditorium. The development contains 26 modern apartments for Affordable Rent, Market Rent and Shared Ownership, including two Affordable Rent apartments for wheelchair users. They were built by local contractors Jenner Group thanks to a £650,000 grant from the Homes and Communities Agency. Guests at the event included Tracey Crouch, MP for Chatham and Aylesford, alongside representatives from Jenner Group, employer’s agent Pellings and Medway Council.
The scheme was officially launched by MP for Chatham and Aylesford, Tracey Crouch, who said: “I am delighted to open these new homes at Theatre Quarter and to see that the former Theatre Royal auditorium site has been transformed into affordable homes. This new development is just a small part of the regeneration taking place across Chatham and I would like to thank everyone that helped to make this scheme a success. “ Ashley Hook, Chief Executive of mhs homes, said: “We are proud to be contributing to the positive regeneration of Chatham with our Theatre Quarter development and to create more much-needed affordable housing. These contemporary apartments provide homes for affordable rent, market rent and shared ownership. The shared ownership homes enable first time buyers to buy a 35% share from £45,000.” Arches Local is an exciting opportunity for residents to use at least £1m of Lottery funded money to make a massive and lasting positive difference in the Central and Luton area of Chatham. The community group is one of the many areas supported by Big Local and is aiming to make the area a better place to work, live and enjoy together. The next Arches Local Open Meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday 8th April 2015 and will start at 7pm with a venue of All Saints Church, Magpie Hall Road, Chatham, ME4 5NE. The meeting will mainly cover the final stages of ratifying the plan and any queries or suggestions will be voiced. If you are interested, then please do not hesitate to come along! If you have any further questions about the event, please contact Arches Local via; email ([email protected]) or by Twitter (@ArchesLocal).
Arches Local, a local group trying to regeneration the deprived area of Chatham, has set up a campaign to bring back a monument to its original home at the Luton Arches in Chatham town centre. The Driver Fountain was installed in 1898 by three-times mayor of Chatham William Driver, but since its removal in 1961 it has been moved to a corner of Chatham cemetery where it remains to this very day. The former fountain was located in the middle of the major road junction at the Luton railway arches, on the Chatham side facing New Road. When it was opened, a grass enclosure and a row of poplars were planted behind it to create a more 'welcoming' atmosphere. We have been interested in this project and will be supporting Arches Local to bring back the fountain to its former glory. A spokesperson for Arches Local commented, "We would like to see the entire area brightened up, with trees cut back to let in more light and the oppressive advertising hoardings repositioned to be less dominating. At the moment it's a dark and dirty place that people avoid." They also added, "Reinstalling the Driver Fountain could be key to getting major improvements in this area underway."
There have also been talks of removing the abandoned footbridge and repainting the pedestrian fencing to contribute to the improvements in the Luton Arches area. You can read more about the proposed improvements for the area on the Luton Arches page. |
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