Construction work

Tender description

Medway Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) appointed a development partner to develop Rochester Riverside in Medway, Kent. Rochester Riverside is a flagship site at the forefront of regeneration in the Thames Gateway. It is owned and managed in partnership by Medway Council (the Authority) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), who have invested substantial funds in land assembly, remediation, site preparation and infrastructure works to prepare the site for immediate development. The key objective of the partners is to transform the area into an attractive place to live, work and play through the implementation of a substantial, high quality, sustainable, mixed use scheme. The vision for Rochester Riverside is established in the 2014 Development Brief and Masterplan, adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document to the 2003 Medway Local Plan. The Development Brief establishes the key planning and design parameters for the development, including land use components, urban form, density, open space and sustainability. It outlines the previous use and history, the policy context and physical constraints. The Masterplan envisages a phased residential-led development supporting a range of retail, leisure and tourism uses providing activity both day and night, including: A mix of up to 1 400 residential units, including affordable housing. Residential and non-residential parking. A hotel. A centrally located Primary School. A new entrance to Rochester Rail Station. A Waterfront Square with associated shops, restaurants and bars Flexible commercial spaces. Local retail facilities. Riverside walk. Publicly accessible open spaces. Upgraded site ‘Gateways’. Community facilities. The Masterplan includes provision for a ‘Station Quarter’ linked to the new 26 000 000 GBP HS1 rail station for Rochester at Corporation Street. The station will be connected to the Rochester Riverside site via a pedestrian subway and commuter car park. The new station will enable increased capacity and reduction in journey times to Central London, thus facilitating the economic growth of the local area and the regeneration of Rochester Riverside. The station will open in December 2015. Delivery of development at Rochester Riverside is led by the Council, strongly supported by its partner, the HCA. Strategic direction and decisions are provided by the Rochester Riverside Board, which is chaired by the Leader of Medway Council and made up of Council members and officers, plus HCA representatives.