Kent County Council wants to shift services from 3 Palace Avenue into a wider network of hubs across Maidstone, with the public consultation closing at midnight on 17 November 2026.
Families who use the InfoZone Family Hub on Palace Avenue could see their services uprooted and scattered to different buildings across town. Kent County Council has launched a public consultation on proposals that would end the use of 3 Palace Avenue as a Family Hub altogether — and the council insists no final decision will be made until it has heard what residents, families and community groups actually think.
Under the plans, Parkwood Family Hub would become Maidstone’s main and largest hub, taking over space left empty by a former nursery. The former East Borough Children’s Centre on Vinters Road would also reopen as an additional location, bringing provision closer to the town centre. Three existing hubs — at Greenfields, Westborough and Southborough — would carry on as before.
The council says the Palace Avenue building would need hefty work to bring its first floor back into safe operational use.
But concerns have been raised before. Earlier KCC consultation material recorded worries about access, building suitability, the concentration of services in fewer places, and the knock-on effect on deprived wards. Nine in ten respondents to a previous consultation said they preferred face-to-face services. The council’s own scrutiny documents note as much.
A separate survey on making Family Hub buildings welcoming and accessible runs until 30 November 2026.
Key information
- Consultation deadline: midnight on 17 November 2026
- Email: maidstonefh@kent.gov.uk
- Phone: 03000 419 470
- Alternative formats and languages are available on request through Kent County Council
The council will consider all responses before any final decision is taken.