Millions of pounds poured into South Thanet “tremendous news for the constituency” says Craig Mackinlay MP

South Thanet MP, Craig Mackinlay, has hailed an announcement by the Conservative Government to invest £14.5m in his constituency.

Some £12m will be invested in a new high-speed railway station near Cliffsend – known as Thanet Parkway – improving transport in the area and creating 800 new jobs.  It is the biggest single constituency funding in the country under the £900m ‘Getting Building Fund’. A further £2.5m has been set aside for Discovery Park Building 500.

The funding is part of a £1.3b investment by Boris Johnson’s Conservative Government to deliver homes, infrastructure and jobs around the country.

The news came less than 3 weeks after the South Thanet MP put Thanet Parkway firmly on the Prime Minister’s radar at Prime Minister’s Questions.  In the House of Commons on 15 July, Craig told the PM:

“There is a great sense of celebration in Thanet and East Kent with the positive Development Consent Order for Manston Airport, allowing that asset to fly once more. But we have one part of the jigsaw puzzle to solve – Thanet Parkway. It was deemed desirable before the DCO; it now has to be deemed essential.” Funding was needed, Craig went on, “to complete the regeneration of Thanet and East Kent”.

As well as significantly reducing journey times to London, Thanet Parkway will support commercial development opportunities in East Kent, notably Discovery Park and EuroKent, as well as housing and employment sites in the emerging Thanet Local Plan.

Craig Mackinlay MP commented:

“This is tremendous news for the South Thanet constituency in particular, as well as for the Isle as a whole and East Kent.

“It’s well-known that accessibility to London is a major determinant of economic success. Thanet, with its peripheral location, has endured slow journey times to London.  That can now change with a headline journey time of around 1 hour to London Stratford International.

“On the back of the granting of the DCO for Manston supported by £300m of private investment, this £14.5m of public funding is a step-change that will provide a catalyst for regeneration.

“After a difficult period, these are momentous times for Thanet and we can look to the future full of optimism and confidence.”