Chatham's former Argos store has been put on the market, with early plans for its redevelopment already on the table. Estate agents Sibley Pares recently listed the freehold of the High Street site for sale and is accepting offers until 16 November. Documents from the listing reveal that plans for a 166-home scheme with ground floor commercial space were considered in 2019. The proposed development was drawn up by Guy Hollaway Architects for the site's current owner, the Rochester-based charity Richard Watts. It included three blocks of one and two-bed flats and 83 car parking spaces. In the listing, the estate agents say the site "represents an excellent development opportunity for potential residential or alternative commercial uses." It also says: "There is a significant amount of investment being made by Medway Council in to this area of Chatham and this site provides the next logical extension to this regeneration." The Argos store closed in January and is set to reopen as a charity furniture shop run by Gillingham Street Angels this month. The award-winning charity, which helps homeless people, has taken on a flexible short term lease for the property. It will mainly sell furniture, household items and there will also be a section for sports equipment. Meanwhile, the top floor will have offices for the charity's new headquarters. The new shop is set to open in "about a week", according to Gillingham Street Angels. Martin Sissons, chief executive officer at the Richard Watts charity, said in a social media post: "We are pleased to be working in partnership with Gillingham Street Angels who have just signed the lease to take on the former Argos store in Chatham for furniture storage and sales. "We believe this is a great opportunity for all those involved and should, in time, bring far more people to that end of the High Street which can only benefit other local businesses." Before the building occupied by Argos was built, the site was home to Watts' Place - a narrow lane with a terrace of shops. Watts' Place was redeveloped in the 1960s and replaced by a building initially occupied by department store Edward Bates and a Sainsbury's supermarket.
In 1976, Sainsbury's relocated to a new store inside the newly-built Pentagon Centre. Edward Bates was sold to department store chain Bentalls in 1979, which took over the building. However, it closed in 1984 and Argos moved in shortly afterwards. An Argos click-and-collect point now replaces the High Street branch, located inside Sainsbury's at the Pentagon Centre. See the property listing by clicking here. Comments are closed.
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August 2023
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