newsletter newsletter winter 2011 winter 2011 urba& developmentn masterplanning design

MUSIC TO THEIR EARS! GREEN BELT DOUBLE SUCCESS! DHA have secured outline planning permission for Music for the demolition of their existing building and erection of up to 25 residential dwellings at Astley House, Road, .

The permission is subject to the successful completion of a Section 106 agreement, securing the relocation of the Charity within the Maidstone Borough.

Kent Music no longer require the site for their day to day operation and they can teach from many of the schools in the area with performances in local theatres, as they do in the rest of Kent. The site is also a huge maintenance burden which the Charity can no longer sustain.

The application was decided at Planning Committee where the loss of the community facility was debated along with the loss of a non-designated Heritage Asset (Astley House). DHA demonstrated Kent Music’s commitment to staying within the Borough of Maidstone for their administrative DHA Planning have secured planning permission for the demolition of existing poultry sheds and associated buildings at headquarters and the limited value of the existing building. The Members Oakwood Poultry Farm in Fairseat near and for the development of eight detached houses. The scheme which was of the Committee unanimously voted in favour of the application whilst designed by based architects CSDP reflects a farm courtyard and the buildings are traditional in design. stressing the importance of the site in the town centre to achieve a high quality of development at the detailed application stage. For more The site is located within the Green Belt and outside the village confines and currently comprises a chicken farm for up to information please contact Matthew Woodhead. 48,000 birds. Very Special Circumstances were presented to justify the new development within the Green Belt.

The plans received overwhelming support from local villagers and the Government Office for the South East has confirmed “ART DECO STYLE” SET TO REVITALISE BUSINESS USE DEEMED “UNVIABLE” FOR that it does not wish to call in the application, despite it being a departure from the Development Plan, leaving the Local VILLAGE CENTRE OAST HOUSE Authority to issue the decision. For more information please contact John Collins or Klaire Lander.

DHA successfully secured full planning permission for the DHA have recently secured planning permission for the change of use NEW LIFE FOR OLD DAIRY demolition of an existing retail store and pub in the village of of an oast to a two bedroom house, near Maidstone, Kent. The oast, , Kent, and the erection of 2 buildings, comprising which had been substantially demolished over the years, had previously DHA Planning have secured planning permission a new retail store, pub and 10 flats. been granted permission for B1 (office) use at appeal which included a substantial rebuild. for the conversion of a former 1950s dairy to The scheme, designed by DHA Urban Design, is in a form two new dwellings and the construction of contemporary/art deco, flat roofed style with a green roof. As part of the case, DHA established that the permissible business use a single storey barn to form 2 further dwellings. For further information please contact Ria Drake. was not viable despite the property being marketed for nearly two years. The new building has been designed in the same It was established that an alternative use for holiday lets was not viable style as the existing dairy building and each of either. The conversion was sympathetically designed by DHA Urban the four units will provide 4 bedrooms, as well Design to overcome concerns in regard to the potential domestification as private gardens and a gated entrance. of the site, typically associated with new dwellings in the countryside. We understand construction is due to commence shortly. For more information please contact Matthew Blythin or Alex Hicken. The farm, located in a secluded valley on the outskirts of the village of Eynsford near Sevenoaks, is situated in the Metropolitan Green Belt and Very Special Circumstances DHA CHARITY were presented to the Council to justify the development. The scheme, designed by DHA As part of the DHA Charity Initiative launched in 2010, a Urban Design, was supported by the local fundraising drive over Christmas saw DHA make donations residents and the Parish Council who were keen of £500 to the Heart of Kent Hospice and £500 to the Peggy to see the site revitalised after the dairy had Wood Breast Care Centre in Maidstone. For more information closed over 20 years ago. For more information on our fundraising events please visit our website. please contact Alex Hicken or Klaire Lander. four dha urban design, Eclipse House, Eclipse Park, Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN dha planning, Eclipse House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN t: 01622 776226 f: 01622 776227 e: [email protected] w: www.dhaurbandesign.co.uk one t: 01622 776226 f: 01622 776227 e: [email protected] w: www.dhaplanning.co.uk newsletter newsletter winter 2011 winter 2011

WINNING THE ENABLING ARGUMENT ASHFORD CONTINUE TO RAC FUTURE CAR CHALLENGE DHA successfully secured full planning permission for the conversion and INCREASE AFFORDABLE SUPPLY change of use of a Grade II Listed House to 4 houses and 10 self contained flats DHA Transport Director, Jason Lewis recently took part in the inaugural RAC Future (including extensions). Car Challenge as part of the What Car? Team. The race involved a new motoring challenge for Electric, Hybrid and Low-Emission ICE vehicles to use the lowest “Bushy Ruff” which is located within parkland on the outskirts of had been energy on a 60 mile route from Brighton to London. Teams from all over the world subject to vandalism and illegal entry despite considerable efforts to secure the entered the race, including teams from Mercedes Benz, Tesla and Lotus. site by the current owner.

The proposal was subject to an English Heritage Enabling Model which illustrated Future motoring technology is on the increase and as new-energy vehicles prepare that the construction of 4 houses within the grounds and an extension to the to roll-off production lines in volume the road-side infrastructure, to fuel them, Listed Building comprising 5 flats, would cross-subsidise the much needed is gradually expanding across the UK road network. Yet for the daily motorist, DHA Planning secured planning consent for 9 affordable works to the original house. DHA are currently working on 3 other proposals and also the developers of the future, there is, understandably, uncertainty on using the English Heritage Enabling Model. For more information, please houses on behalf of Ashford Borough Council’s Housing what the advantages are and whether the demand and cost makes it worthwhile contact Matthew Woodhead. Department. The site comprised a redundant piece of open land within the Council’s ownership which, considering the infrastructure requirement for future developments. although was used as play space on an informal basis, was not formally designated for this use within the Following some last minute tips from veteran drivers Gordon Murray and Paddy development plan. Hopkirk, Jason was handed the keys to the new VW Golf Blue Motion which The site had been identified as part of DHA Planning’s averages nearly 80mpg, although much to the horror of the Volkswagen and What Hidden Homes Study which was undertaken on behalf Car? Teams he managed to curb it pulling out of the car park! of Ashford Council and identified the potential for 900 new affordable homes on Council owned land. The Luckily for Jason, the Honda team hadn’t seen that and he managed to blag a application was recommended for approval and passed drive in a £3million Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell car along Pall Mall. The overall winner of the race, as chosen by the RAC event by Members at Committee. For more information please judges was the VW Blue Electric Car. For more information on vehicle energy infrastructure please contact Jason Lewis. contact Matthew Blythin or Martin Page.

DHA GO BACK TO SCHOOL FERNS CEMENT NEW GREEN HQ standards. Ian Fern, Managing Director commented that “this will enable the Ferns Group to centralise DHA Transport are providing technical advice to Willmott Dixon Construction, the The Ferns Group has been working in the Utilities, Reinstatement and our operations from a modern purpose-built facility preferred bidder for the new £20 million Skinners’ Kent Academy. The Scheme is Building sectors for the past 15 years. Set up by Managing Director Ian which meets our Group’s environmental targets and being procured as part of Kent County Council’s Batch 2 Academies Programme. Fern in 1995 with 1 lorry, the Group has expanded to employ over 250 helps reduce our carbon footprint”. people, operating over 100 vehicles. DHA Transport are part of a consultancy team including Studio E Architects, Max DHA prepared and co-ordinated the detailed Fordham, WSP, White Young Green, Whitelaw Turkington and DHA Planning. Working with DHA Planning, Ferns have successfully secured planning planning submission which involved DHA Transport permission from and Malling Borough Council for a new negotiating a new vehicle access with Kent The school, which is located on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells, currently provides Headquarters and Depot at Bellingham Way, . Highways and the consideration of increased vehicle accommodation for up to 750 pupils. The new school will seek to increase this to movements at the site. For more information please 1150 pupils. DHA Transport’s role has included preparing a Transport Assessment contact Alex Hicken or Laura Leatherbarrow. The proposal, designed by DHA Urban Design will see the redevelopment examining the projected increase in pupil and staff numbers as well as the impact of an established employment site to secure the continued viability of on the local road network. Key to this is modelling the impact of the development The Ferns Group by consolidating the company’s existing operations on the A21 whilst also taking into account the potential impact of any other future onto one site. planning proposals linked to the A21. For further information, please contact The proposal involves the provision of a new state-of-the-art workshop Jason Lewis. with ancillary office facilities in excess of 15,000 sqft. The remainder of the site will comprise a vehicle washdown area and parking for 55 office THE LOCALISM BILL - HOW WILL IT AFFECT staff and visitors. The building will be constructed to BREEAM Very Good YOU?

The long awaited Localism Bill was announced to Parliament on 13th December 2010 and contains a number of potentially significant changes to the planning system. DHA have produced a client briefing note which is designed to bring you up to speed with the main contents of the Bill and identifies how the proposed changes could affect you and your sites. If you would like a copy of our briefing note, please contact Jonathan Buckwell or alternatively visit our website.

dha planning, Eclipse House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN dha transport, Eclipse House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN two t: 01622 776226 f: 01622 776227 e: [email protected] w: www.dhaplanning.co.uk three t: 01622 776226 f: 01622 776227 e: [email protected] w: www.dhatransport.co.uk