Developers have submitted plans to convert an eyesore eleven-storey office block in Chatham High Street into 81 flats. Cannon Capital Developments Ltd is requesting permission from Medway Council for an office-to-residential change of use. No improvements will be made to the building's unsightly facades and the adjoining Medway County Court is not included in this proposal. If approved, the office building will consist of 16 studio, 25 one-bed and 40 two-bed flats, while the existing 78 car parking spaces will be retained and 81 new cycle parking spaces will be provided. The car parking provision falls below the maximum level of parking outlined in the Medway Council standards of 1.5 spaces per dwelling, however, it is considered a "suitable level of provision due to the town centre location" of the site. The developer is using the controversial 'Permitted Development Rights' to change the use of the building, which is known to produce 'miserable' homes where it is commonplace for families to be forced into cramped flats in former office blocks with few amenities.
Currently in England it is possible for developers to deliver housing through a system known as Permitted Development Rights (PDR). Developments delivered through this system do not need to go through the full local planning process, meaning that local councils cannot scrutinise a development proposal for key issues such as quality or space standards. Even though the PDR system is delivering new housing, charity Shelter estimates that urban councils have missed out on over 10,000 affordable homes over the last three years due to this process. You can have view the full plans by visiting the Medway Planning Portal website. Photos: Google Maps An iconic public house in Chatham which has been disused for over 45 years could be converted into flats, according to a recent planning application. The Grade II-listed Lord Duncan, which has stood empty in New Road since 1974, will be restored to house 10 one-bed flats, together with shared kitchens and bathrooms, a laundry and communal space. An ambitious buyer snapped up the three-storey building at an auction for £115,000 in February this year, hoping to "bring it back into beneficial use" by providing "much-needed" housing to the local area. The painted timber weatherboarding on the external of the building will be repaired and decorated to match the original materials, while many of the original sash windows will be renovated with new internal secondary glazing to prevent heat loss.
The original timber stud walls inside the building will also be retained, however these will need to be upgraded to comply with modern building regulations. No car parking spaces will be created for future residents, although a cycle rack for 4 bicycles will be installed to the rear of the building. Believed to have been built in the late 1700s, the Lord Duncan has been boarded for over two decades making it an eyesore to many passersby. The former public house is named after Admiral Duncan who defeated the Dutch off Camperdown and Egmont in 1795. You can have your say on the plans for the former Lord Duncan by submitting a comment on the Medway Planning Portal website. Photos: Google Maps and OnTheMarket Eyesore land in Chatham town centre will be transformed into a £1.1 million purpose-built hub providing secure cycle parking closer to the railway station. The proposals will see 280 cycle spaces created for city bikes to cargo bikes and include a 'swipe card' entry system, electric bike charging points, a bike repair stand with tools, bike pump and additional CCTV. Currently empty and overgrown, a parcel of land behind the advertising hoardings in Railway Street will house the 'modern and attractive' single-storey cycle hub, which will have timber panelling facing the street and large glazing facing the Wickes car park. With cycle parking more than 50m from the front of Chatham's station, the hub complements 13.6km of new cycle routes across the Medway area to enable safer travel for cyclists. The scheme is a joint project between Network Rail and Southeastern, and is being developed in partnership with Medway Council and UK charity Sustrans. The Department for Transport (DfT) set aside a £800,000 grant to fund the new £1.1 million Cycle Hub as part of the government-led 'Cycle Rail Programme'. The remainder is being match funded by Medway Council. The Cycle Rail Programme has already improved access to the UK's railway stations for cyclists through a number of initiatives, including cycle hire schemes and extended footways, allowing commuters to make their daily journeys to work as connected and sustainable as possible. The latest plans for Chatham Railway Station comes a year after the completion of the station's £1.4 million upgrade.
The improvements included resurfaced footways and a remodelled station forecourt to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment and a better first impression for commuters visiting Chatham. Chatham Railway Station is also set to benefit from further accessibility improvements as part of the DfT's 'Access for All' programme in the near future. It is hoped that lifts will be installed at the station to improve access for disabled and less mobile commuters. These works are expected to be completed by March 2024. You can have your say on the Cycle Hub plans by submitting a comment on the Medway Planning Portal website. Photos: Lockit-safe and Google Maps Buzz Bingo has announced plans to permanently shut its Chatham branch, marking another grim closure for the town centre. The national bingo chain, which formerly traded as Gala Bingo, is to launch a rescue restructure via an insolvency procedure known as a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), allowing it to exit unwanted properties and cut rents. The Chatham branch is one of 26 locations earmarked for permanent closure, putting 573 jobs at risk across the country. It has not been confirmed how many jobs will be affected at the branch in Chatham High Street. "Another devastating announcement for Chatham Town Centre..." Chatham Central ward councillor Vince Maple said: "The news of the closure of Buzz Bingo is another devastating announcement for Chatham Town Centre, my thoughts are with the hard working staff and for those who use the Chatham branch – this follows the recent closure of Debenhams & uncertainty over the Go Outdoors operation.
"Chatham Town Centre will need further additional support as a matter of urgency with these closure which have taken place and proposed - particularly as we come out of the global pandemic." The closure of Buzz Bingo joins the former Debenhams store in Chatham High Street, which continues to stand empty half a year after it shut its doors for the final time. Popular coffee store Boomers, based at the Dockside Outlet Centre, also broke the news that it will not be opening its doors again after a steep uphill battle against the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Google Maps |
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August 2023
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