A former housing shelter for elderly people is set to be fully refurbished and extended as part of plans to replace it with a foyer for vulnerable young people. MHS Homes has lodged a planning application seeking permission from Medway Council to build two additional studio flats and to install a covered walkway to the existing facade of Russell House to form new, glazed communal facilities for its young residents. Proposals also include fencing around the perimeter of the entire site, landscaping and a gated stairwell down to the site from Magpie Hall Road. MHS Homes has already been granted permission to demolish the row of garages at Russell Court off Henry Street and replace these with 12 parking bays for staff and visitors. The closure of the former housing shelter for elderly people was announced back in February 2019, after MHS Homes said that Russell House failed to "provide the standards required of modern sheltered accommodation" in line with central government guidance.
Russell House first opened in 1972 and consisted of 29 flats - 24 of which were "difficult to let" studio flats, according to MHS Homes. Fierce concerns were raised by residents living in the surrounding area of Henry Street and Newnham Street after the announcement of the shelter's closure came to light by mistake. Speaking about the closure in June 2019 to Future Chatham, Cllr Jo Howcroft-Scott for Luton & Wayfield explained: "A foyer in Russell House may change the character or identity of the place that already has many challenges both social and economic. "Many local residents feel MHS do not do enough for the existing community without adding more trouble to the mix. "MHS Homes are now putting together an application and a presentation to planning. We will look closely at this and work hard to achieve the best results for the local community." It is understood that the new foyer will provide valuable accommodation for vulnerable and homeless young, local people. A statement in the planning application clarifies that the future occupants of the units are "not young offenders, they are merely young people who have to live on their own for the first time (parent dies or is sick etc)". You can have your say on the plans for the refurbishment and extension of Russell House by searching 'MC/19/3327' on the Medway Planning Portal or by clicking here. Plans to demolish an existing motorcycle shop on Luton Road in Chatham and replace it with a block of six flats have been given the red light as it was deemed as "over-development" of the site. The original proposals were seeking approval to flatten the existing Barney's Bikes motorcycle shop at the junction of Luton Road with Albany Road to make way for a new block comprising of four 1-bed and two 2-bed flats. It was also planned that two separate retail units would occupy the ground floor space, although no parking spaces were included. However, on February 5 the Planning Committee decided to refuse the planning application as it was deemed an "over-development of the site". The Committee particularly expressed concern that whilst the existing site was unattractive, the proposal to provide a flatted development "did not fit with the existing street scene". The constituted "over-development of the site" could result in a "detrimental impact to existing residents in competition for on street parking provision". It was also noted that the proposed development was proposed to be a 'car-free' development but it was considered that this would be "difficult" to enforce. Within the original plans, Rochester-based Ubique Architects, who designed the proposed block on behalf of the shop owner, said that the development has been designed to "make a positive contribution to the street scene", despite it being out of character from the typical Victorian architecture along Luton Road.
No parking spaces were included after a parking survey concluded that existing parking stress levels in the surrounding streets "will be able to cope" with the additional car numbers expected to be generated, according to the architects. However, the Planning Committee noted that while the proposed development was proposed to be a 'car-free' development, it was considered "difficult" to enforce. A number of objections were lodged by local residents when the plans first aired. One resident noted the choice of one and two-bed flats could lead to an increase in social isolation and loneliness, an already detrimental problem in the Luton Road area which has seen a sharp rise in the number of family houses being converted into bedsits and houses of multiple occupation. Concerns were also raised about the development's stark and radical contrast to the "widely appreciated" Victorian street scene of Luton Road. The Planning Committee acknowledged the emerging Neighbourhood Plan for the Luton area and it was suggested that an application of this nature would be more appropriate to be considered once the Plan was in place The Virgin Media store in the Pentagon Shopping Centre in Chatham is among 25 other locations set to shut its doors for the final time this year.
It is expected the branch in Chatham will close by April as part of Virgin Media's wider proposals which will bring its total stores in the UK down to 53. A letter to staff, obtained by The Sun, reads: "The current review has led us to propose closing some locations where it has become clear that they are not giving us a sustainable or appropriate return in terms of value." Although 110 jobs will be lost nationwide, it is not known how many staff members will be affected at the Chatham store. It is understood that Virgin Media is currently consulting with its employees to identify opportunities to move to new roles within the company. Over 200 new homes, rooftop gardens and a spa are part of plans revealed for the redevelopment of the Queen Street and Slicketts Hill car parks in Chatham town centre. Plymouth-based BRL Architects have proposed four separate blocks fronting The Brook to accommodate one, two and three-bed flats, with the tallest building reaching 11 storeys. At least 25% of the housing is set to be 'affordable'. It is expected that 100 public parking spaces and 100 private parking spaces will be delivered as part of the redevelopment of the two car parks, including the installation of electric charging points. Leisure amenities including an on-site spa, pool and gym studio will also be available to residents. BRL Architects claim that the development will "upgrade a run-down area away from the waterfront", while also contributing to the "confidence to create a new city". The latest plans for the car parks at Queen Street and Slicketts Hill comes years after the first planning application for the 1.7 acre site was aired in April 2013. Outline planning permission was granted for the construction of 118 homes as a mixture of one, two and three-bed flats and three and four-bed houses, in addition to 3,375 sq metres of commercial space and 146 parking spaces. Consent was granted subject to the prior approval of ‘reserved matters’ - these being the full details of the appearance of any proposed buildings and landscaping - by April 2015. Development should then have commenced within two years. A year later at a meeting in May 2014, Medway Council was expected to declare the car parks as 'surplus' and dispose of the site for development. This was not given the go-ahead due to the loss of town centre parking spaces and the deterioration of the property market. View of the previous planning application from opposite Slicketts Hill. Photo: SpaceCraft Architects Medway Council did, however, finally agree to "bring forward the site for development, whilst retaining the car park and income" in July 2018, according to Council papers.
The Council entered a joint venture agreement with developer Creval to build the mixed-use housing and commercial scheme whilst retaining the existing level of parking spaces, as well as securing a significant profit share from the sale of the flats. Should the latest plans be given the green light, Medway Council could expect to lose around £68,000 per year in car parking income during the construction period, although it was earmarked that there will be "compensation paid by Creval to the Council for the temporary loss of car parking income". It is has not yet been confirmed when a full planning application will be submitted to the Council for public consultation and final consideration. |
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