DHA worked with the site owners, the Department for Education, Medway Council and Historic England to deliver this viable scheme and to safeguard a Grade 1 listed medieval barn.
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DHA secured planning permission for the restoration and part conversion of Grade I listed Manor Farm for use as a wedding venue, the construction of a new secondary school and up to 181 dwellings on land at Manor Farm, Frindsbury, Rochester.
The secondary school will provide a brand-new government-funded facility to meet the predicted shortfall of secondary school places in Medway, with the residential dwellings providing much needed market and affordable housing.
The Grade 1 listed medieval barn at Frindsbury, for many years on the national and Medway Heritage at Risk Register has been safeguarded. At 160ft, it is one of the longest in the country and dates back to the 1400s, but in recent years it has suffered fire damage, as well as vandalism due to its location. Planning policy requires that all options for the barn were considered to preserve it for the nation.
DHA successfully argued that it could be safeguarded thanks to the addition of a partly subterranean extension and reinstatement of the fire damaged end of the building to create a high-quality wedding venue. Around 80% would stay in its current unaltered state.
To fund the restoration and redevelopment, plans were brought forward to support two priorities for Medway Council – securing additional secondary school places in the area which would have been in deficit by 2023, and the delivery of new homes.
Work is underway for the school and with outline permission also secured for 181 new homes on the site, a first phase of this can also be progressed. It is expected that the housing will be delivered over two phases, with the last one to commence once the adjacent former quarry has been restored.
People who worked on this project
John joined DHA in 2001 having gained experience with a Chartered Surveying Practice in Central London and then having spent some 12 years in Local Government. His Local Government experience involved a City Council, Borough Council and working as a Development Control Manager at a Unitary Council. He has a BA (hons) degree in Town and Country Planning and an MBA, and has been a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute since 1988.
Tim has a BSc (Hons) degree in Physical Geography and a Masters degree in Environmental Management.
Sectors we work in
We are particularly proud of our track record of securing planning consent for valuable community facilities on behalf of both public and private sector clients – from village halls to libraries and pre-schools.
DHA are leaders in the education sector, working with a wide range of contractors, Local Education Authorities, Schools, Trusts, Universities and the Department for Education to deliver a large number of projects across the country.
DHA's experience in mixed use schemes is wide and varied in both scheme types and location.
DHA are a leading practice in the residential sector, working with individuals on their dream houses through to thousands of new homes in Garden Settlements.
Services you may be interested in
At DHA, we strive to make the process of obtaining planning permission as clear and honest as possible.
DHA's Transport and Infrastructure Team specialise in creating robust and cost-effective transport planning solutions to optimise development projects of all sizes.
Our Environment team provide environmental consultancy services to deliver sustainable and viable solutions to planning and environmental problems.
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