Mission to New Housing Areas in the Diocese of Rochester Background The government has identified the Thames Gateway as an area with potential for significant new housing developments on “brownfield sites” where factories, dockyards and chalk pits have closed down. In addition, all local authorities have been set ambitious targets for new housing over the next 15 years. The result is that there will be a major challenge for the church if we are to be able to respond and meet the spiritual needs of these new neighbourhoods. Church Commissioners Mission Funds Funding has been made available by the Church Commissioners to support parishes in the Diocese as they seek to reach out in mission to the people moving into new housing developments. Targets have been agreed, and a mapping exercise has been carried out to assess where new housing has recently been completed, where new housing is being built over the next 2-3 years and where major projects are likely in the coming decade. The findings are listed on the subsequent pages of this document. The Role of the Mission Growth Team Leader It has been agreed with the Church Commissioners that the Mission Growth Team Leader will work closely with 3 parishes in each Archdeaconry in 2010 and a further 2 parishes in each Archdeaconry from 2011 to formulate a Mission Action Plan. Where appropriate training will be offered. Further information about the national church response to new housing areas can be found at http://www.cinha.net Mission-minded Disciples In many of the areas where significant new housing is planned the churches are struggling financially and aging congregations are finding most of their time and energy used up in trying to ensure that the church survives. It will therefore be a challenge to help church members become mission-minded disciples who will be willing to expend time and energy in mission, reaching out in practical ways to the people moving into their parish. The churches also need to be thriving communities of welcome which are able to integrate new members and nurture their growth in the faith. Urban Infill In many of the deaneries the new housing targets will be met mainly by the infill of small plots, garden- grabbing, and the redevelopment of small commercial facilities into blocks of flats. People moving into these homes will not find it difficult to integrate into existing community if they want to, although many will continue to live in their wider networks and there are few opportunities for the church to connect with these people, other than the normal rites of passage and provision of children’s activities. Newly Built Neighbourhoods Large new-build sites usually have no infrastructure or local facilities in the early years of their existence. The new residents will find it hard to integrate into neighbouring communities. The challenge for the church is how to foster a sense of community in the new development. This represents a real opportunity for the church if enough volunteers can be found to work on community- building activities. It is particularly helpful if some Christians actually move into the new housing to create community hubs through an incarnational presence. Ross Garner 10/3/10 Rochester Archdeaconry Completed Coming Soon Proposed Cobham Longfield Brickfield Farm 27 Axton Chase 149 Snodland: All Saints Holborough Lakes Holborough Valley Bridge to Peter’s Pit 300 700 over 5-7 years (1000 in Wouldham) Dartford Dartford Trinity Fields 99 Two Brewers 23 GSK site 500+ Holy Trinity West Hill Park 228 Police Station 67 (from 2013) Spring Vale apts 26 Dartford Tech 89 Lowfield 500-900 Dartford: St Alban Nexus (Weston) 50 Dartford The Bridge 235 The Bridge 200 The Bridge 700 St Edmund Piggery 20 Part of GSK site Darenth Darenth Park St. Margaret 100 ? c.8 years old Greenhithe Ingress Park 950 The Pier 119 Ebbsfleet Valley Mount Nod 25 Thames Waterside 3500 ? 211 Horton Kirkby The Mill at South Darenth 200 Stone Waterstone Park St James Lane Pit 200+ 1000? Swanley St Barts Laundry 65 Old Highway depot 24 Wilmington Oak field Rise 57 Brooklands Lakes 52 Warwick Way 30 Gravesend Gravesend: Holy Christian fields 425 Singlewell 211 Singlewell 400 ? Family council rebuild Gravesend: St Police Station 86 Clifton Slipways 145 George Brewhouse Yard 39 ? Clarendon Royal 51 Gurdwara 21 Lord St Car Park 120 Gravesend: St Mary on council estate 20 Milton Marina 72 Near canal basin St Peter + St Paul Queen’s Quay 300-1500 more? The Embankment 135 Milton McCarthy Stone Christ Church Retirement homes Northfleet & Springhead Park 200 Springhead Park 200 Springhead Park 200 Rosherville The Lawns 24 De Warren House 29 Cement Works 510 Dykes Pit 84 Swanscombe Phoenix Parc 219 Swanscombe Peninsula 2700 Ebbsfleet Valley 9000 Gillingham Gillingham: Romans Gate 80 St Augustine Gillingham: St Borough Road 35 Barnabas Gillingham: St Luke Liberty Quays Victory Pier 800 Lower Lines 55 600 students Gillingham: Sovereign Quarter Sovereign Quarter 25 Howlands Nursery 60 St Mary Magdalene 300 The Hamptons 24 Railway Street 29 Gillingham: St. Mark St Mary’s Island 900 St Mary’s Island 136 St Mary’s Island 400 & The Quays 284 Historic Dockyard 450 St Mary's Island Mill Rd/Arden St 39 Rainham Rainham Mark 35 South Gillingham Ash Tree Lane 32 Ash Tree Lane 64 Twydall Fetherby Sports 24 Rochester Borstal: St Matthew The Esplanade 200 Chatham: Emmaus Waterfront 500 Brook 800 Station Gateway 700 Chatham: All Saints Hospital St.Paul & All Saints 200 ? Chatham: St Stephen Bellway 76 Mid Kent College site(s) 214 + 414 Rochester: St Justus The Briary 135 Anchor Road 45 Priestfields 20 Rochester: St Peter Lyon Court 20 Huxley Ct, King Street Riverside 1700 ? w St Margaret The Heights 20 Foord Street Police Station 65 The Esplanade 200 Strood Cuxton & Halling Cemex 550 Strood: St Francis Medway Gate 300 Medway Gate 150 Temple Waterfront 100 Frindsbury: All Saints Liberty Park 100 Liberty Park 180 Lodge Hill 5000 & Upnor Elm Avenue 162 Upnor Castle 26 Strood Riverside 200 Frindsbury Road 25 Medway Brick 143 Hoo, St Werbergh Pastures etc 150 Pastures etc 250 Coe’s Green 162 Highlands 72 Tonbridge Archdeaconry Completed Coming Soon Proposed Malling Burham & Wouldham Oldfield Drive 120? Peter’s Pit 1000 Coxheath Avante 150 Avante 50 ? East Malling Mill Stream School 23 Larkfield Leybourne Lakes 325 Leybourne Birling Grange 100 Birling Grange 622 Mereworth Kings Hill Kings Hill Kings Hill & West Malling 1850? 250 ? 500 ? Ryarsh Brickworks 91 Paddock Wood St Andrew Hop Pocket 24 Sevenoaks Borough Green Isles Quarry 200+ Halstead: St.Margaret Halstead Place 33 Fort Halstead 1100 Riverhead Centenary Close 25 ? WCKS phase one 68 WKCS 432 Morewood Close 52 St John the Baptist Railway & Bicycle 24 St Luke The Farmer’s 23 St Nicholas Rockdale 23 Shoreham Tonbridge St. Peter w St Paul Holmes Court 63 River Walk 40 Sovereign House Cannons Court 53 200? Russet Homes 79 Ashby’s Yard 58 Fidelity House 49 St Stephen West Kent College 85 Tunbridge Wells TW: St Barnabas Grand Central 50 Medway Depot 150 TW: St James TW :St Luke Connaught Park 200 St Mark, Broadwater Copperfields 20 Down Bromley & Beckenham Archdeaconry Completed Coming Soon Proposed Beckenham Anerley: Christ Scholars Court 129 Church Beckenham: St. Paul Cricketers’ View 85 Copers Cope Road 37 St. Michael Clock House 24 Bromley Biggin Hill RAF Quarters 150 19 Main Road 22 at RAF Bromley Common: Blue Circle Site Oakley Road 24 Holy Trinity 788 Bromley: St. John Sundridge Park 54 Bromley: Constable Mews 29 Bromley N Station St. Peter & St Paul 400 High Street 1200 Bromley: St. Mark Old Bromley Hospital DHSS 30 188 Westmoreland Rd 280 Chislehurst: Christ Ch Kingswood Chase 39 Ravensbourne College 251 Keston Holwood Estate 94 Erith Belvedere: St Imperial Gateway 402 Augustine Bexleyheath: Christ The Old Baths 52 Civic Offices 168 Ch Crayford Braeburn Park 300 Vickers site 274 Samas/Roneo 350 Waterside Village 130 Town Hall 187 Perry Street 161 Erith: St John Erith Quarry 500-1000 Erith: Christ Church Manor Road 70 Slade Green Howbury Grange 110 Welling Embassy Court 64 Employment Exch 41 Orpington Cray: St. Barnanbas Pear Tree House 28? Farnborough Wellbrook Grange 46 Green Street Green Oaklands 49 Orpington: All Saints The Twenty 58 Ramsden Estate 111 Arbour House Station Heights/Wood Martyn Court 46 Sidcup Joydens Wood Bexley Park 466 Sidcup: St Andrew New flats 60 Sidcup: St John Cloudsley Close 60 The map shows the areas of new housing (100 dwellings or more) in the Rochester Diocese. Recently built blocks of housing are shown in red; proposed developments are shown in blue. .