Proposed Submission: Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy

has more potential as the upper gardens are limited due to the slopes. TheCouncil will seek to improve the recreational potential of both these areas andpolicies CS12 on Green Infrastructure and CS13 on Green Space, Sport andRecreation are also relevant.4.6.39 There are a number of larger scale office buildings located in this subarea.The Port of London Authority offices and associated land around RoyalTerrace Pier form part of the river-related employment in the Borough. ThePost Office and Department for Work and Pensions buildings on The Grove tothe south of Milton Road also provide employment. There are also somesmaller employment sites interspersed with residential uses to the north andsouth of Milton Road, including Milton Road Business Park and Bentley StreetIndustrial Estate. These serve the needs of smaller scale businesses requiringa central location, although the type and scale of these activities isconstrained by their proximity to residential areas and local road access. Thestrategy for employment sites is to protect employment floorspace unless it istruly redundant for modern needs, support the refurbishment and upgrading ofexisting premises and facilitate the expansion of river-related employment(see policy CS07 Economy, Employment and Skills).4.6.40 The remainder of the area is largely residential. This includes a mix ofmodern flatted developments alongside the river, terraced houses to the northand south of Milton Road and around Royal Terrace Pier, and some post warflatted development to the west of Harmer Street. These areas are likely toremain in residential use over the plan period. It is likely that the CliftonSlipways/West Street pier site will be redeveloped for residential use.Policy CS05: Gravesend Town Centre Opportunity Area4.6.41 The Gravesend Town Centre Opportunity Area will be theprincipal focus for town centre related economic and social activity inthe Borough. This will be achieved by consolidating the existing retailarea, encouraging a mix of employment and residential uses, improvingits role as a transport hub by the creation of a public transportinterchange, promoting an evening economy through giving support to96