Plans to redevelop a disused shopping centre in Chatham have been given the go-ahead. The former Trafalgar Centre in the High Street is set to make way for 175 flats, co-working offices and creative arts studios. Medway Council's planning committee approved the scheme at a meeting today (Wednesday, 24 August), with thirteen councillors voting in favour and two against it. The plans would see the Trafalgar Centre - which closed in 2013 - pulled down, while part of the multi-storey car park in Rhode Street will be retained to provide 152 car parking spaces. One and two-bed flats would be delivered across three blocks, although no affordable housing is to be provided due to viability issues. Terance Butler Holdings (TBH), the developer behind the plans, will instead make a number of financial contributions, known as Section 106. These include up to £220,293 towards green space improvements, such as The Paddock and Chatham Waterfront, and up to £105,896 for community facilities, libraries and public realm in Chatham town centre. Up to £20,000 will also be provided towards sustainable transport improvements in Chatham town centre. The tallest building will reach 9 stories, which was reduced from the 11 storeys initially proposed, after concerns were raised by Historic England about the visual impact on the nearby Grade I-listed Naval War Memorial. As the approved scheme was an outline planning application, TBH would next need to submit specific details about the development, such as materials, for approval before work can begin. An outline planning application is an initial form of planning permission for the scale and nature of a development. Documents from the planning application indicate that demolition work could begin as soon as November and take four months to complete. Now regarded as an eyesore, the Trafalgar Centre was once a thriving building anchoring the eastern end of the High Street. It was built in the 1960s as a Fine Fare supermarket, before the store closed in 1987. The building was then taken on by shopping centre operator InShops, which converted it into a 38,000 sq ft indoor shopping complex with low-rent units, known as InShops Variety Centre. It opened in April 1990 and contained over 80 independent shops, a fast-food court, café and a creche. The centre was rebranded to Trafalgar Centre by the early 2000s and also became home to budget supermarket chain Kwik Save. However, the shopping centre closed on 13 December 2013 after InShops entered liquidation as a result of significant losses.
The centre's lease was put on the market by property consultants Black Stanniland in 2015, although it is not known if a sale was made. Having sat empty since its closure, the centre and multi-storey car park behind it were finally bought in June 2020 by TBH for £2.87 million. The 261-space car park was occupied by NCP until it quit from its lease in September 2021, with new operator YourParkingSpace taking on and reopening it in March this year. Plans have been put forward for homes and commercial space on a key site in Rochester town centre. Developer Donard Living is proposing to build 374 flats at Bardell Wharf, on the corner of Star Hill and Rochester High Street. A mix of one, two and three-bed flats would be delivered across four buildings, with at least 25% being affordable housing for rent. The four buildings would vary in height, with the tallest reaching 10 storeys. Three ground floor commercial units are earmarked, which could be occupied by shops, cafés, restaurants or offices. A total of 249 car parking spaces - 20% of which will have electric vehicle charging points - and 374 'long stay' cycle parking spaces are also planned. Donard hopes that building work could start as soon as next year and reach completion by 2025, if Medway Council approves the planning application this autumn. Once completed, the development would be transferred to a registered housing provider or a housing association on a leasehold basis, who will then determine the final tenure. The same site gained planning permission for 331 homes and more than 20,000 sq ft of commercial space in 2019. Those plans were devised by landowner Classicus Estates and developer Quinn Estates, although they never came to fruition. Estate agent Kingsbury Stone marketed the freehold of the site a year later, inviting offers in excess of £8 million. The first four phases of the original development sold for £7,020,000 last year, while the fifth phase was acquired separately for £1,275,000 by Rochester Independent College, which is set to create an 85-bedroom student accommodation block. Bardell Wharf is one of the latest schemes by Donard, which has a growing pipeline of projects that could see it deliver up to 3,000 homes a year.
It's also currently drawing up plans to redevelop the former Buzz Bingo in Chatham, with a public consultation set to follow. The property development company aims to bring forward social and affordable housing across the UK by offering fully funded 'turn-key' developments for registered providers and local authorities. Visit Medway Council's planning portal by clicking here to view the planning application and to have your say by 17 August. |
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August 2023
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