A special launch event of the Gillingham Town Centre Vision and Action Plan, which has been created in partnership with residents, is being held on Saturday, 12 July from 11am – 1pm.
Residents, businesses and anyone with an interest in Gillingham are welcome to come along to the event and find out more about the plan, which sets out the vision for the transformation of the town centre in the coming years.
The launch event is being held at Gillingham Salvation Army. Tickets must be booked in advance and are available now.
In 2024, Medway Council commissioned an independent not-for-profit organisation, Design Southeast, to run a co-creation project with Gillingham’s residents and businesses to understand what they value about the town centre and what changes they would like to see.
As part of this work the Gillingham Community Panel, which is made up of a demographically representative team of 40 residents, was created.
Over three in-person workshops community panel members helped to create the vision and action plan, which aims to provide a clear vision for the transformation of the town centre in the coming years. The plan will outline initiatives that look to enhance the character and identity of Gillingham, as well as pride in place, in line with the wider Love Gillingham objectives.
Those at the launch event will be able to get involved with workshop activities, take a look at plans and find out how they can get involved in helping to shape the future of Gillingham.
Shape the future
Cllr Harinder Mahil, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic and Social Regeneration and Inward Investment, said: “It is exciting to see the Gillingham Town Centre Action Plan coming forward, and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in getting it to this stage – especially the community panel. It is so important that local people help shape the future of the area they live or work in, and if this is something you want to get involved in make sure you come along to the launch event on 12 July.”
Following the launch event, a survey is due to launch to get wider community feedback to shape the action plan’s priorities, and for people to express interest in getting involved in community led projects, on Sunday, 20 July at the Love Gillingham Big Day Out. The survey will run until Sunday, 21 September.