The Story So Far
Ebbsfleet Central is an area of land focused around Ebbsfleet International Station and is centrally located within the Ebbsfleet Urban Development Area and surrounding settlements. The majority of the Ebbsfleet Central site is currently used as car parking for the International Station.
Ebbsfleet Central has been earmarked for development for a significant amount of time and was granted permission for residential and commercial development in 2002. Since then however the proposals have not been delivered and site remains underutilised.
In 2019 Ebbsfleet Development Corporation purchased the land so as to ensure the delivery of development in this location. Since then the team has been working on new proposals for the site and have submitted an outline planning application for the first phase of development.
The story so far
Channel Tunnel Rail Link and Ebbsfleet International Station Built
The construction of the Channel Tunnel rail link started, with the section connecting Ebbsfleet and London St Pancras opening in 2007 alongside the new Ebbsfleet International Station
Original Planning Permission for Ebbsfleet Central Granted
Previous owners of the site secured planning permission for a mixed-use development at Ebbsfleet Central. This include c.3000 homes and significant employment development.
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation acquires Ebbsfleet Central
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation purchased Ebbsfleet Central in 2019 following years of development not being delivered on site.
Whilst the land had historically been stalled to development, the acquisition by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation of the 125 hectare (310 acres) site means that it can take control and unlock the site, in order to deliver the full potential for Ebbsfleet.
The purchase of the land confirms the Government’s commitment to Ebbsfleet Garden City and the development in an area which is strategically located to road and rail networks including 17 minutes to and from Central London.
Ebbsfleet Central Public Consultation
Public Consultation on EDC’s proposals for the first phases of Ebbsfleet Central presented to local communities for feedback.
The proposals presented the first steps in delivering Ebbsfleet Central and focus on three key areas which make up Ebbsfleet Central East. The Corporation will, in future, be progressing further proposals for the remaining land.
Submission of Outline Planning Application for Ebbsfleet Central (East)
The proposals for Ebbsfleet Central are finalised and the Outline Planning Application is submitted. The outline planning application for Ebbsfleet Central East is the first phase of a milestone project within Ebbsfleet, with regeneration of the land focused around Ebbsfleet International Station.
The outline planning permission will act as a framework within which the detail of the proposals will be developed through future planning applications. This detail, including design, land use, building heights and connectivity, will be developed to ensure maximum flexibility and proactive response to changes in the market, technology and infrastructure needs over time.
A decision on the outline planning application will be given 2023/24. The outline planning application can be viewed online: http://applications.ebbsfleetdc.org.uk/online-applications/ using reference EDC/22/0168.
2024
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation’s ambitious plans for the regeneration of 34.86 hectares of brownfield land around Ebbsfleet International Train Station have been approved.
The Corporation’s Planning Committee have resolved to grant the outline planning consent for Ebbsfleet Central East.
The approval is a key milestone in the delivery of Ebbsfleet Garden City, first announced in 2015, and involving building on a series of brownfield sites at one of the best-connected locations in England to create a ‘21st century garden city’ – with ambitions for a vibrant new community of up to 15,000 homes, with a city-style centre surrounding Ebbsfleet International train station.
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, supported by The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, is driving forward the delivery of this major regeneration project that will unlock the huge potential of the area and provide access to important facilities such as jobs, healthcare, retail, business services and vital amenities for local communities.