Plans for 28 homes on Rochester High Street approved
There have been objections from the community
Proposals to demolish high street buildings and build 28 homes have been given unanimous approval.
Medway Council granted permission for a scheme on the site of 320 to 346 Rochester High Street yesterday (February 11).
In total, it will consist of five two-bed, 11 three-bed, 10 four-bed and two five-bed houses.
And while there were limited developer contributions and no affordable housing, planning officers said this was justified on the basis the proposal was well-balanced and would involve significant work to prepare for development.
The site had been designated for housing in the last edition of the authority’s Local Plan in 2003 – and had been discussed for the same purposes prior to that – but no scheme had successfully come forward.
The location includes Thai Market, an Asian supermarket, and a branch of Pizza Hut, both of which will remain on the site.
The remaining buildings, including the former shop of Kent Bed Centre, the RockChurch Kent, also known as The Hope Centre, and the empty factory buildings towards the back of the site, will all be demolished.
The report produced by officers recommended the application for approval, and acknowledged that while the scheme involved the loss of buildings which are non-designated heritage assets (NDHA) the benefit of the development outweighed this.
Additionally, officers said other similarly valuable buildings in terms of heritage, such as the Pizza Hut in a former pub designed by George Bond, were being retained.
The Hope Centre, which is designated as a community facility, will be demolished but is to be relocated and officers committed to assisting in this process.
A clawback condition has been included so that if the properties surge in value and profits increase, Medway Council can request further developer contributions for local infrastructure.
The plans come from Sittingbourne-based property developer Parklake Estates Ltd, who submitted them to Medway Council in February last year.
Committee members praised the design of the scheme – which had been revised prior to submission, reducing the number of properties down from 75 – and how it fit into the local area.
Cllr Adrian Gulvin (Con) said: “I think this is an excellent use of the site and it sets a benchmark for further redevelopment in this area.
“The viability of these types of schemes is very tight indeed, but to offset the lack of S106 and things we’ve got in return a very, very good regeneration of that area.”
Cllr Stephen Hubbard (Lab) added: “This site has been sitting around for a very long time. Thirty years ago, on Rochester City Council, the then-planning committee started looking at sites and this was one of them.
“It was thought this would come forward much faster than the Rochester Riverside development.
“I do welcome this design, it’s far better than some of the options talked about previously, it’s far more attractive and it will be good to finally get this site redeveloped.
“I regret that 322 and 324 are to be taken out, but I do understand the economics of it.”
Cllr Smitha Campbell (Lab) said she supported the scheme but did have concerns about the fact local groups which focus on heritage opposed the scheme, considering it was located within the council’s Chatham Intra High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ).
She added: “A huge amount of work has gone into the HSHAZ and the council worked hard to engage with the local community around Chatham Intra.
“We’ve got objections from that community for this application.
“I just feel we’ve encouraged the community to create this zone and invest in it and I want to make sure we’ve done everything we can to see if we can retain those heritage assets.”
Council officers said they and the applicants had engaged with historians and local groups and said the plan was as “sensitive as it possibly could be” and said if the buildings being knocked down could’ve been viably included they would have been.