What will the development look like?

The proposals offer the opportunity to provide 42 much needed homes which make better and more efficient use of the site and provide an active frontage through residential development onto the high street.

The development will comprise of three blocks, varied in size and made up of town houses, apartments and assisted living units and will be achieved through the demolition of the former disused Co-op. the demolition of which will open up the outlook from adjacent properties.

The development takes influence from local heritage, such as from the historic centre of the town, which includes traditional red brick buildings and green buffers, that will form a prominent feature of the new development. The site will include car parking spaces for the residents of the new accommodation, off-set from the High Street. Given the site’s sustainable location walking and cycling will be attractive travel choices for new residents and cycle storage will be provided a to encourage the utilisation of this mode of transport. 

A ‘Town Square’ is also proposed to the front of the site by the High Street, which will be framed by the existing and new retail / commercial units, to create a sense of vibrancy and new public realm in this location. Green infrastructure including trees on the internal road layout then links through to a village green within the centre of the site, that provides a pleasant walking route through the site to link into other green infrastructure in the town.

Within the south of the site,  ‘Assisted Living’ accommodation is proposed, which includes a mixture of apartments that have their own kitchen facilities, alongside bedrooms that will be supported by the communal area on the ground floor.  

Introducing residential units in this central and sustainable location within Gillingham Town Centre will contribute towards housing supply and a range of housing types to meet the needs of different groups of society, by providing housing for smaller households (such as the elderly and young people) and those who want to be close to services and facilities within the centre. A residential use in this location will bring increased footfall into the centre, thus contributing to the town’s vitality and viability.

The proposal is of a contemporary design which includes large-glazed floor to ceiling windows and simple detailing, but will make use of traditional materials such as red brick and render that are found in the historic centre. Balconies and terraces have been set back within the building’s envelope to break up its mass and provide visual interest. Whilst a small element of the proposals will be four storeys in height (lower than the adjacent existing development to the east), the majority will be three storeys, with a mixture of green roofs and solar panels provided on the roof. 

This all contributes to the significant improvement of the former Co-op that is currently in a dilapidated state, all whilst respecting local vernacular and design principles.