THE former Whatman paper mill in Maidstone town centre will be turned into 300 homes, the borough council decided last night. Most of the buildings will be demolished to make way for 218 apartments in four and five storey blocks with a further 77 houses of two to four bedrooms. The Springfield Mill site will retain the grade two listed Rag Room - built in 1805 - and will be used for community activities. The landmark's famous chimney - visible to drivers along James Whatman Way - will also be retained as a nod to the county town's industrial past. The site will be developed by Redrow Homes. Redrow spokesman Michael Hardware told last night planning meeting: "We would want to build something out of the ordinary for this historic site." The main focus for debate was which of the three possible uses for the Rag Room would be chosen - further housing, community or offices. Cllr Tony Harwood argued another site elsewhere in the ward was earmarked for a community facility and worries the Springfield Mill site is too far from the community it would serve. It would be better used for an employment site, he claimed. He warned: "I would be worried that it would end up being an expensive white elephant." Cllr Shellina Prendergast said that offices on a housing development would be "quite incongruous". A community focus was decided upon for the Rag Room and the overall plan was passed.
Redrow Homes will construct 300 homes on the site of the former Whatman paper mill in Maidstone town centre after approval was granted by the local council on 1805. The majority of the existing site will be demolished and replaced by 218 apartments and 77 houses. The houses will comprise two-to-four bedrooms and the apartments will be situated within four and five-storey blocks. Some historical features of the site will be retained to reflect the town's industrial past.