Innovation Centre
Kent Medical Campus, located at junction 7 of the M20, is to be home to an Innovation Centre after DHA secured planning permission on behalf of Maidstone Borough Council.
The four storey, 37,000ft2 Innovation Centre will provide flexible office space, facilities and business support for small and medium-sized enterprises working in the life science, healthcare and med-tech sectors on the 30 acre campus which has Enterprise Zone status.
Construction on the £9.5m building, designed by Bond Bryan Architects, commenced in autumn 2019 and the complete Innovation Centre welcomed its first tenants in summer 2021.
The new centre is expected to support around 270 jobs and generate a further £120m of additional gross value added to the local economy over the next decade.
Project Team
Alex has worked at DHA for more than 15 years and became Managing Director in 2016. Alongside overseeing the day-to-day running of the business, he remains passionate about planning and development.
Alex Hicken MRICS
Managing Director
Alex has worked at DHA for more than 15 years and became Managing Director in 2016. Alongside overseeing the day-to-day running of the business, he remains passionate about planning and development. He enjoys meeting clients, exploring opportunities, and advising on how DHA can help maximise the value of their land.
Alex began his career training as a Chartered Surveyor at BNP Paribas within their Development Consulting team, working on a variety of major housing, commercial and public-sector schemes. He joined DHA in 2010 and was promoted to Managing Director six years later.
He works across a broad range of residential and commercial projects, with key expertise in development viability, enabling development, asset optimisation, and strategic land.
Outside of work, Alex coaches a local junior rugby team.
Jonathan is a Director leading our Gatwick office. He joined DHA in 2005 and brings more than 30 years of planning consultancy experience.
Jonathan Buckwell MRTPI PISEP
Director
Prior to joining DHA, he worked with Hepher Dixon (now Savills) in Milton Keynes and London, contributing to major regeneration projects, including the Emirates Stadium.
Jonathan works across a broad range of residential and commercial projects and has also advised local authorities on major developments, including the Manston Airport Development Consent Order.
His notable successes include securing planning permission for a major industrial complex in Nottinghamshire, an urban extension in Cornwall, a 1 million sqft medical campus in Maidstone, and a 600-space HGV park in Ashford.
In addition to his consultancy work, Jonathan also chairs Developers East Sussex, an organisation that brings together public and private sector development interests across the county. Through this role, he has engaged directly with Secretaries of State and Ministers within the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on matters affecting development and economic growth.
Outside of work, Jonathan coaches a girls’ football team and enjoys the enduring highs and lows of supporting Leicester City.