This site already benefits from planning permission, which was agreed by Medway Council, which was known as Bardell Wharf. This was approved in 2023 for 374 new homes. The new proposals are for 296 new homes – a reduction of 26%.
Donard Living has assembled a new design team and the decision has been made to rework the scheme to meet current market needs and conditions and deliver a smaller scheme more sensitive to the area that meets the housing needs and aspirations of the local community.
The new design brief presented to the architects was to:
Much has changed in the house building and financial markets since the previous scheme was approved in January 2023, with the Section 106 signed with the council in November. The decision was taken to review the previous scheme, which had approval for 374 homes and tailor this to be more optimal for the current market conditions, demand and needs for the Rochester community.
In addition to the market forces, we believe that what the market, and the centre of Rochester now wants, is different to what was previously approved. We’ve reduced the size and scale of the building – called massing in the architectural world – and reduced the number of new homes from 374 to 296 – a reduction of 20% on Bardell Wharf.
We changed the mix of homes that it would deliver to create a sustainable community, including:
A new public space, called Ironmonger Yard, is proposed and the Star Hill junction has been redesigned to improve pedestrian safety and reconnect the High Street. It is designed to transform a part of Rochester that has been unused for many years.
The site sits on the edge of the Star Hill to Sun Pier Conservation Area, which has recently been the subject of a conservation area appraisal. We have been working closely with the Design Officer and Conservation Officer at Medway Council and Historic England to make sure the proposal is even better than that of the previous Bardell Wharf scheme by being more sensitive to the area’s history.
The design of the building, which would sit on the site of the former Red Lion Pub, deals with the junction better and seeks to reconnect the High Street to the community by strengthening connections across the A2.
The varied buildings’ heights take their architectural design from other buildings across Medway. The high street building is based on the Georgian townhouses found along the high street. The buildings facing onto Corporation Street take their design cues from the area’s riverside heritage with gable roofs and recessed balconies.
In contrast, the taller buildings against the railway line have a gentle pitch like the warehouses often seen in the riverside views, softening the development on the skyline thanks to its undulating form. The development uses traditional brickwork throughout, with redbrick on the high street buildings and softer tones of bricks on the taller buildings to blend the buildings into the urban area.
The revised Ironmonger Yard development now proposes to deliver 296 homes, offering the community a mixture of:
These new homes will be delivered via four buildings, supported by a total of 53 parking spaces within the site, as well as eight bays on Bardell Terrace which will include two loading bays and two car club bays.
Outside space – which covers a larger area and creates improved light levels when compared to the original proposals – is landscaped with trees and planting for use as communal areas as well as some parking.
As part of its public realm strategy, Donard Living and their transport consultants have undertaken a major study of the Star Hill junction and have devised what they believe to be a solution to the ongoing issue of pedestrian and road user safety.
These designs are provided by Donard Living for the council to consider for implementation but are not part of the planning application. By narrowing the highway, it is possible to create a four-way crossing point at the junction to improve linkages between Rochester High Street and Chatham Intra for a better pedestrian experience. This Section 106 agreement could make a contribution towards the funding of this road improvement.
The proposals prioritise pedestrian accessibility by significantly increasing the opportunities to cross the road and transition to/from the High Street to Ironmonger Yard. It would include signal controlled pedestrian crossings to enable direct crossings with no need for island waiting. Setting back the development will create a 4m buffer (at its narrowest) offering enhancements to the public realm. This will improve both the line of sight down the High Street and the view of the Old Court House. On Corporation Street the buffer will keep pedestrians away from the road thanks to a planting scheme including medium and large trees.
The homes themselves will be low-cost and energy-efficient. The new proposals ensure there is no direct overlook into habitable rooms, granting greater privacy for residents.
The buildings are design to exceed the latest building regulation requirements and fire regulation standards.
The materials will be specifically selected to complement the existing character and heritage of this site and the surrounding built environment. We continue to work with the council’s design advisor to refine the scheme’s design to use the most appropriate materials.
This is inspired by the history of the area, offering a modern take on traditional designs to be found in Medway.
