Castle Mews

Category: Residential / Development / Commercial / New Build
Location: Tonbridge, Kent
Budget or size: 14 New build houses
Contractors & Consultants: Commercial Development

Brief

When the previous owner was informed that the site was listed within the Local Authorities Brownfield Register, we were commissioned to transform the derelict area into a high-end residential development.

Previously operating as a car garage, the site contained large underground holding tanks. Despite the anticipated costs of removing these tanks, the site’s proximity to the station and the local council’s housing requirements made the project viable.

Response

Designated as a Brownfield Site by the Local Authority, the site was earmarked for development, suggesting preliminary support for the project. After an extensive planning process, we successfully obtained permission for 14 residential units, each featuring off-street parking. Throughout the planning phase, we encountered local opposition regarding the proposed architectural style, which leaned towards a contemporary aesthetic, a departure from the more traditional styles typically endorsed by the council.

However, to maximise the site’s potential and ensure marketability, our client sought designs with curb appeal that would differentiate the properties from the surrounding brick-built terraced houses. After over 12 months of negotiations and refinements, the council ultimately approved our contemporary designs and granted planning permission.