A major town centre mixed-use regeneration scheme in Sittingbourne, Kent called 'Spirit of Sittingbourne' has received a resolution to grant planning consent for the first phase of the development.

Phase one of the Development Securities development will bring see six sites across the town centre to include a 7-screen cinema, 29,000 sq ft of restaurant space and 34,000 sq ft of big box' retail developed in public private partnership with a development consortium consisting of Swale Borough Council, Essential Land and Quinn Estates.

Richard Upton, Executive Director at Development Securities, said: "Spirit of Sittingbourne is an excellent example of our work in mixed-use regeneration in collaboration with local authorities and with this consent to hand we are a step closer to our ambition to be the public sector's partner of choice for regeneration. We are delighted to have secured planning consent for this significant development which will create a catalyst for growth in the town and we look forward to now delivering the project in partnership with the consortium."

It will create more than 700 jobs over the life of the project consisting of 330 direct construction jobs, 230 indirect jobs and 230 direct jobs with 120 retail jobs, 20 cinema jobs, 90 restaurant jobs.

The breakdown of the six sites is as follows: Plot 1 (Existing Cockleshell Walk car park) - 62 residential units; Plot 2 (Existing Spring Street car park )- 88 residential units; Plot 3 (Land off Fountain Street) - 65 residential units; Plot 4 - 7-screen cinema and 7 restaurants; Plot 5 - 308-space multi-storey car park; Plot 6 - 4 retail units.

Infrastructure works are due to commence in September 2015 with estimated completion Q4 2017.