TESCO GILLINGHAM REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

The site comprised a dated industrial estate, including a former warehouse and a road-facing café building with four residential flats above. The ground floor was earmarked for conversion into a new Tesco store, but the existing structure was not capable of meeting Tesco’s stringent loading and compliance standards. The wider site required a full reconfiguration of access, services, drainage, and parking to bring it in line with modern use and prepare it for future commercial tenants.

Delivering all of this within a constrained footprint, while retaining and upgrading parts of the existing buildings, presented logistical and structural challenges, particularly with varying levels, ageing infrastructure, and a clear need for long-term resilience.

Initial works included demolition of the warehouse and extensive ground reduction to create a new car park and service yard. The retained café building was fully stripped out at ground-floor level, with a new reinforced slab cast over the existing floor to support Tesco’s operational demands. A fully independent internal steel frame was then constructed to form a new structural shell within the original envelope, supported by posi-joists and a metal stud wall system.

High-performance insulation was added throughout to bring the space up to current building regulations. Externally, the envelope was upgraded with new render, formation of new openings for glazed entrance screens and door sets, and the installation of roofing upgrades to meet performance requirements.

The site infrastructure was also overhauled. A new access road and car park have been constructed, including compliant retaining walls, handrails, surface finishes, line markings, and EV charging stations. A sustainable drainage system has been installed beneath the car park using a large soakaway to manage surface water on-site. New mains power, water, and telecoms infrastructure have been brought in to serve the Tesco unit and the neighbouring commercial buildings, which are being prepared for future tenants.

At the front of the site, the four residential flats located above the Tesco unit are undergoing a full refurbishment. Works include internal modernisation and energy efficiency improvements, with completion due in the coming weeks.

The structural and infrastructure works are nearing completion, with Tesco’s internal fit-out scheduled to begin in September. The scheme has transformed a tired industrial site into a high-performing, future-ready commercial and residential development. The combination of structural resilience, sustainability features, and coordinated site planning ensures the project will deliver long-term value for both Tesco and Prideview Group once fully operational.