Proposals for Halstead Place site revealed

A new planning application has been submitted to Sevenoaks District Council for a residential development on the site of the former Halstead Place School, near Sevenoaks.

The application is now being progressed by popular Kent housebuilder, Ward Homes. Ward has spent the last six months discussing the new scheme with the Council and local community and has developed a high quality scheme to regenerate this derelict site on the edge of Halstead village.

The new development will comprise 33 houses, four of which will be created by converting existing buildings at the site. It also includes landscaping of extensive areas of open space surrounding the former school and a package of measures to restore and refurbish historical features within the site.

The new properties will range from two to six bedroom houses, all with private gardens and the majority of which are detached. It will include 13 new affordable homes that will be reserved for those in housing need within the local Halstead area.

Nick Fenton, Managing Director for Ward Homes, said:

"In developing these proposals we have strived to ensure that the new scheme meets the needs and aspirations of the local area. Over the past few months we have liaised with the local community and their representatives in advance of submitting a planning application. We have also drawn on our extensive experience of developing sites such as this elsewhere in Kent.

"The recommendations of the Planning Inspector about the scale and design of the previous proposals for this site have also been fully taken on board in preparing this revised scheme. For example, in accordance with the recommendations of the Inspector, the design of the scheme has been carefully articulated to reflect the rural nature of the site. The creation of ‘clusters' of housing in courtyard arrangements is a key design approach to the site and reinforces the fact that this is a bespoke rural development.

"We are confident our proposals represent a high-quality development which will significantly improve the visual impact of the site as well as benefit current and future local residents."