With ties to the Royal Dockyard at Chatham thanks to its riverside location, the area is a treasure trove of heritage assets and buildings of historical significance, and a true melting pot where different people, cultures, and personalities meet. 

The area has recently secured funding through Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zone programme, which will be used to revitalise the area’s heritage assets, rejuvenate the local economy and bring the area back to life. A programme of cultural events and heritage restoration projects is planned to take place up until 2024. 

funding & regeneration.

THE HSHAZ PROGRAMME. 

The Sun Pier to Star Hill conservation area (‘The Old High Street Intra’) was awarded £1.6m High Street Heritage Action Zone funding from Historic England to support regeneration projects in the area.  

The focus is on bringing the history and heritage of the area back to life, boosting the local economy and encouraging investment. 

The £95 million government-funded High Streets Heritage Action Zone programme, which is being delivered by Historic England, aims to unlock the potential of high streets across England, fuelling economic, social and cultural recovery, encouraging new life into the high street for future generations. 

More than 60 high streets have been offered funding to give them a new lease of life. Medway Council is working with Historic England to develop and deliver schemes that will transform and restore disused and dilapidated buildings and create new community spaces, restoring local historic character and improving the public realm.  

ART & MUSIC.

The Old High Street Intra is the culture centre for Medway with art galleries, community art centres, theatre and frequent live music gigs being hosted by the high street’s many venues.  

The community art organisations hold workshops, classes and exhibitions throughout the year to bring together locals looking to refine their crafting skills. These organisations also offer spaces for established artists to display their work in public viewing galleries to highlight the ever-growing local talent.  

The theatres also provide numerous opportunities to develop creative abilities from youth theatre, adult amateur dramatics and even backstage technicians; there is something for everyone to be involved with. 

The Old High Street Intra is also known for its live music offering throughout the whole week at the local bars, pubs and restaurants with a diverse range of music genres to mirror the diversity of the area. With a few venues even hosting karaoke and open-mic nights there are plenty of opportunities to showcase your own talents. 

celebrating local businesses.

A haven for independent shops and businesses, The Old High Street Intra is a great choice for local eating and entertainment, boasting a fantastic array of restaurants and cafes, bars and pubs. And with a great range of speciality shops and curiosity stores, you’ll have plenty to choose from when you arrive.

History, Heritage and Culture.

The Old High Street Intra is located at the intersection of Chatham and Rochester High Street in the Star Hill to Sun Pier Conservation Area. It is divided into two distinct character areas by a railway bridge; the area to the west of which predominately consists of Georgian and Victorian houses, with some retail, while the area to the east is of mixed retail, commercial, leisure and residential use. 

The word ‘Intra’ comes from the Latin for ‘within’, as the area is bordered by the railway bridge over Rochester Highstreet to the west and the boundary with Chatham to the east, with the River Medway to the north. 

The area has a rich and important place in Medway’s history with its development closely linked to the growth of the Royal Dockyard at Chatham from the 17th century onwards. The area boasts many outstanding examples of historic listed properties from the 18th/19th centuries.