Muse Developments has signed an agreement to develop the Westgate area of Dartford town centre on behalf of Dartford Borough Council and Homes England.

The £75m mixed-use regeneration project will see a six-screen cinema at the heart of a new social neighbourhood with 37,250 sqft of bars and restaurants, a new public square, plus a 109-bed hotel, a multi-storey car park and up to 140 new homes, which will be a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments across four new buildings. A range of tenures will be offered for these properties, including affordable units.

Cllr Jeremy Kite, Leader of Dartford Borough Council, said: “Dartford is one of the fastest growing towns in England.  The town’s strategic position on the edge of London and the heart of the South East has been energised in the last decade by huge investment in national infrastructure, growth funding and massive capital commitments from private developers.

“Muse Developments has a track record of delivering projects that harness arts, hospitality and leisure as major regenerative forces.  We are very excited to be working with creative, energetic and successful partners to deliver great things for the people of Dartford.”

Discussions are also underway with the local Clinical Commissioning Group to collaborate on the potential creation of a new health facility providing space for GPs, family healthcare, social care providers and mental-health services.

John Robinson, Development Director at Muse, said: “The site is very well-connected, being close to both the high street and train station, making it the ideal location for a lively and vibrant new community and cultural quarter. We now look forward to working with the wider community in developing our plans and delivering this exciting project.”

Muse Developments is looking to submit a planning application late 2018 and to start on site late 2019. Before then, Dartford Borough Council and Muse Developments will be holding public consultation events in Summer 2018.