Client: Esquire Developments
Sector: Residential
Location: Chattenden
Ward: Medway Council
Status: Planning
The site is located on land along Lodge Hill road to the north of Chattenden. It is situated on the Hoo Peninsula, around 1.25km north of the Ratcliffe Highway linking south to the wider Medway towns and northwards to High Halstow and the Isle of Grain.
The wider area is characterised by clay hills and woodland with extensive farmland and marshland beyond. Villages and hamlets are located along the main thoroughfares in the area. Locally, the geography of the area is sloped with several surrounding hills. The site is located adjacent to a farm, former barracks buildings and areas of woodland which include several sites of specific scientific interest [SSSI].
The nearest settlement to the site is Chattenden located less than 1 mile to the south. There are a number of services and amenities located here including recreation grounds, schools and a local shop. Further amenities are present in the surrounding towns and villages.
The area around Chattenden and Hoo has been highlighted by Medway Council as an area for longer term growth. Part of this scheme has been the acquisition of the areas formerly occupied by Chattenden and Lodge Hill military camps for future development. The area is also supported by the proposal of a new station linking the area to the north with London and the south-east.
The proposal seeks to deliver a layout that is in two parts. The eastern edge of the proposal has a farmstead and pastoral feel, reflecting and respecting the site’s rural location and the neighbouring farm buildings. To the west, the self build plots will offer diversity to the scheme, while maintaining materials and styles to those influenced by the surrounding architectural landscape. The 19 dwellings and their layout will be designed so as to maintain this rural feel while also providing ample gardens, verges and open space, access and parking on site.
The improvements to the existing access along the southern boundary of the site allows for a safe and suitable vehicle and pedestrian entrance to the development. The layout is formed around several access points with a series of shared surface lanes and drives. These serve the proposed 19 dwellings with access for both private and service vehicles.
The dwellings are arranged so as to provide street frontage to Lodge Hill Lane as well as the access to the south. The farmstead dwellings towards the eastern boundary draw
from the layout of a farmstead courtyard and are arranged around the central access and parking.
The Layout has been designed so that the most prominent dwellings at key viewpoints in the site such as at the end of lanes and on prominent corners have been made features through the use of feature façades and materials.
In areas where it was identified that there was potential for overlooking – either between units or with neighbouring land, care has been taken in the design and orientation of windows in order to maintain privacy whilst maximising natural light into the dwellings.
Where possible boundary foliage has been retained and supplemented by additional landscaped planting. An area of woodland in the northern part of the site also acts as a buffer to the nearby countryside as well as enhancing biodiversity.
A landscaped buffer and meadow separates the developed south of the site from the wooded north. Access for maintenance is provided through the inclusion of an access drive from the western part of the site fronting Lodge Hill Lane.
