KEY DETAILS
Rochester Riverside
Location: Rochester, Kent
Homes: 1,400
Partners: Medway Council, Homes England, Hyde Housing
Project Duration: 15 years
Gross Development Value: £445m
Land: 50-acre brownfield
Social Value: £15.2m in S106/ £450k ‘community chest’
Introduction
The Rochester Riverside scheme is a leading class example of a partnership development.
The 50-acre brownfield site was identified as an area for regeneration and following investment from Medway Council and Homes England to remediate the site and implement flood defences, Vistry Group (at the time Countryside) was selected as the lead developer in 2016.
In a joint venture with Hyde Housing Association on a 50/50 structure, Rochester Riverside is providing 1,400 new homes and transforming the Rochester community.
Delivered over seven phases, the scheme is in a central location with a river frontage along the entire northern and eastern boundaries of the site.
The site has won numerous industry awards, including Winner of Winners at the National Housing Design Awards and Best Public Private Partnership at the Government Chronicle Awards.
Housing Delivery and Affordable Homes
Vistry is building and selling 822 homes on this development to our open market customers through our Countryside Homes retail brand.
The scheme will deliver a policy compliant 25% affordable housing which will mainly be delivered through our joint venture partner, Hyde Housing. There will be a further 228 new additional affordable or rented homes provided, catering for the various needs of the existing local community.
“Living in Rochester Riverside for the past two years has been fantastic. Its location is the best part for me, as someone who regularly commutes to London, being next to the train station is ideal. The river walkway is also great for running and walking, and it always feels like a safe environment inside the development.”
Resident at Rochester Riverside
This ground-breaking regeneration project is transforming the area, meeting urgent local housing needs. You can already see a vibrant neighbourhood, which so many people are already calling home.“Our focus has always been on creating a community where people can feel secure and thrive, offering affordable homes that provide stability for both families and individuals.”
Hyde’s Regional Development Director
Site work for phase one commenced in February 2018, and to date over 500 units have been delivered.
Community Facilities
The aspiration of Vistry, Medway Council and Hyde Housing for Rochester Riverside was to create an inclusive community that is well-integrated into the wider area.
Whilst there was no existing community on the site of Rochester Riverside, a key regeneration principle has been to engage closely with the Rochester and wider Medway community. This has been achieved by ensuring that the local community is kept fully informed and provided with opportunities to participate in the development process, as well as supporting local organisations and events.
Vistry is also part of a community board which was established to ensure that the benefits of the landmark development were felt across Rochester. This board helps support initiatives and ideas that enhance the local area.
A Countryside Partnerships Communities Fund has donated over £8,000 to five local charities across Rochester, which has included:
- Friends of Wisdom Hospice
- A Community Café
- Food distribution projects
In addition to the homes, the regeneration project also includes a nursery and primary school. Over 20% of the scheme (10 acres) is public open space, providing high quality amenities for the residents and wider community, including parks and a new 2.5km river walkway.
Jobs and Local Business
As part of Vistry’s commitment to maximise social value to the community, a mean local labour percentage of 61% has been achieved, exceeding the 20% target set for the project. There has been a focus on quality training for partners, especially with regard to apprenticeships and training on site.
The site includes 50,000sqft of commercial/retail space, including an 82-bed Travelodge Hotel, Co-op food store and a Costa coffee, bringing further jobs and amenities to the area.
Commitment to Nature and Sustainability
As part of the regeneration, a new 2.5km riverside walk has been implemented which connects the new development to local shops.
There are photovoltaic panels throughout the site and infrastructure in place for EV charging points.
A range of ecological enhancements across the development have been installed, including:
- 343 trees planted to date
- Bat boxes
- Bird nest boxes
- Bee bricks
The first phase of the scheme has won the first ever Building for a Healthy Life award in the 2020 Housing Design Awards, showcasing how the design has seamlessly implemented nature and wellbeing into the urban environment.