It has been revealed that Medway Council may spend a total of £45m on Chatham’s Pentagon Centre.

Cllr Andy Stamp, Councillor for Gillingham North and Medway Labour Spokesperson for Regeneration and Communities said, ‘If this was being viewed purely as a commercial investment, we would be opposing the purchase. But we are broadly supportive of Medway Council buying the Pentagon Centre, as it will give the Council much greater scope to influence Chatham’s regeneration and unlock its full potential.

‘However, there are risks associated with this type of investment and we have no confidence whatsoever in the current Conservative administration making a success of the Pentagon.

‘The retail sector is struggling, meaning this project will put considerable demands on council time and resources, but the major concern is the Conservative-run council’s poor track record as a landlord.

‘The Council have neglected and continue to mismanage the Britton Farm Mall in Gillingham, and it’s a similar story with the lack of support the Council gives to the leaseholders at Twydall Shops. This raises serious questions about the council’s competence and preparedness to effectively manage and revitalise the Pentagon, which is a much larger retail premises.

‘The Council has been complicit in the decline of Chatham High Street; the “Dynamic Bus Facility” came in over budget and is not fit for purpose, shoppers have been driven away by the 133% increase in car parking charges, and the council’s failure to address growing traffic congestion has made the town centre a less desirable location.

‘This move will give Medway Council more control over the regeneration of Chatham High Street, but the reality is that the current Conservative administration’s track record with our town centres has been pretty poor.’

Cllr Vince Maple, Councillor for Chatham Central and Medway Labour Group Leader said, ‘If this was a proposal purely for income generation we would need much more convincing. However, we recognise the strategic importance of the Pentagon for the future of Chatham Town Centre. The track record of Tory Medway Council both as regards town centre development and also their role as a retail landlord leaves a lot to be desired.

‘A future Labour controlled council would deliver an effective strategy to revitalise the Pentagon and the wider Town Centre, but the reality is that the Tories are simply too complacent and lack the necessary vision to make a success of the purchase.’

The cabinet papers can be found here: https://democracy.medway.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=115&MId=4364