Planned redevelopment of King Charles Hotel in Gillingham criticised by Historic England and KCC20/4/2019
A 'problematic' planning application seeking approval for the redevelopment of the King Charles Hotel in Brompton Road, Gillingham has been met with criticism from Historic England and Kent County Council (KCC). The proposed works will include the demolition of the hotel's unused nightclub and conferencing suites where a four storey block of 57 flats will be built, as well as a rooftop expansion to the existing hotel building which will serve as a new fourth floor with 25 additional bedrooms for guests. The proposed redevelopment as seen from Brompton Road - © GDM Architects Built in 1948, the complex was originally a Naval, Army and Air Force Institute Club (NAAFI) until it closed in 1962. It was then converted into a hotel under the name 'The Aurora Hotel', before being re-branded to the present King Charles Hotel in 1980 by the family that continue to run it to this very day. The popular nightclub venue of the hotel ('The Excalibur') closed in the late 90s and has stood empty ever since. However, concerns were raised by Historic England who felt that the building of a four storey block on part of the former NAAFI Club site was 'problematic' due to its scale. Alice Brockway, Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas at Historic England, said: "At this height the replacement building will be far more dominant in the street scene. "This has the potential to harm the intended prominence of the Royal Engineers Museum in the townscape." "We therefore conclude that the scheme causes some harm to the significance of the scheduled Lines, the grade II listed Royal Engineers Museum and to the conservation area as a whole." As well as being close to the scheduled monument of the Chatham Lines, which were constructed in 1757 to defend the Royal Dockyard at Chatham from landward attack, the King Charles Hotel sits at the heart of the Brompton Lines Conservation Area. The King Charles Hotel is opposite to the Royal Engineers Museum. Kent County Council has flagged concerns over the site's potential for 'archaeological remains' associated with the area's military past. Ben Found, Senior Archaeological Officer at KCC, said: "Archaeological remains have been observed at the MidKent College site and at the neighbouring Black Lion [Medway Park] sports complex. "Such archaeological remains may be disturbed by the proposed demolition and subsequent construction works." He also slammed GDM Architect's existing Heritage Statement as it doesn't consider the hotel building to be a heritage asset, which being a surviving example of post-war 'super NAAFI club', should be of "some historic interest." GDM Architects, who are acting as an agent on behalf of King Charles Hotel, strongly denied any historical importance of the building, stating: "The demolition will not directly affect any heritage asset. "The site has a low potential to include heritage assets with archaeological interest." "It has not been part of an historical event and does not have a strong community or symbolic value. Part of the former RAAFI Club building will be demolished - © Rainham History It is anticipated that the proposed block of flats will provide a mixture of market dwellings (75%) and affordable housing (25%), in the form of 32 one-bedroom units, 24 two-bedroom units and 1 three-bedroom unit.
A total of 181 parking spaces will be provided as part of the development, with 65 spaces for the residential block and 116 spaces for the hotel. Objections have already been lodged by a number of local residents who feel the development is out of character to its surrounding area due to the scale and materials of the new block. Kent County Council has advised planning officers at Medway Council to seek a programme of archaeological work in any forthcoming planning consent. Meanwhile, Historic England recommends Medway Council requests for more information to assess whether the new block of flats will affect the visual links to the landmark Royal Engineers Museum and if it will be possible to negotiate with the applicant to lower the height of the building. Three of Rochester's iconic bridges are set to benefit from a multi-million pound makeover as part of a major refurbishment project, which will be at absolutely no cost to public taxpayers. FM Conway has been awarded the £8.5 million contract to commence the refurbishment works from Monday, 22nd April. The extensive refurbishment project will see the Old Bridge, New Bridge and the Service Bridge, as well as areas of Rochester and Strood Esplanades owned by the Rochester Bridge Trust, given a complete overhaul. The Old Bridge - © The Rochester Bridge Trust The refurbishment will be carried out in phases, with work starting on the New Bridge first, then the Service Bridge in the middle, and completing those works before a full renovation begins on the historic Old Bridge. The project will end with repairs and a complete refurbishment of Rochester Esplanade from the bridges to the Castle Gate.
Sue Threader, Bridge Clerk at The Rochester Bridge Trust, said: “The Trust regularly carries out routine maintenance work, keeping the bridges clean and making minor repairs. This project is an opportunity to go beyond the day-to-day, tackling larger items before they become problems and generally improving the condition of the bridges for years to come. “FM Conway was selected for this project following a rigorous competitive tendering process. The Trust was impressed by the commitment of the company to delivering high quality work while arranging the works to minimise disruption as far as possible.” This "once in a generation" refurbishment will mark the start of the Trust's wider vision to create an attractive 'Bridge Heritage Quarter'. It is expected that through a major programme of investment in its assets, the Trust will be able to enhance Rochester High Street, complement the major developments at Rochester Riverside and Strood Waterfront, and encourage visitors to explore the history of the bridges and their role in providing passage across the River Medway from medieval times to the modern day. The £8.5 million contract has been let by the Trust to FM Conway Ltd under the new NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract, and project management will be by the Bridge Engineer to the Trust, Arcadis (UK) Ltd. To stay up-to-date with the Rochester Bridge Refurbishment Project, please visit www.rbt.org.uk/refurbishment/. |
Archive
August 2023
|