Former hospital to be turned into housing estate

Plans for an estate on the dilapidated site of a former hospital have been given the go ahead

Plans for an estate on the dilapidated site of a former hospital have been given the go ahead after financial uncertainty about the project.
Esquire Developments put forward proposals for 87 homes at what was previously Benenden Hospital in December last year.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) was meant to make a decision in June but deferred it to ask for more money for local services from the developers.

In planning documents, the developer argues its scheme will bring “significant visual enhancement by demolishing the former hospital buildings and creating an attractive and vibrant place to live”.

At a meeting of TWBC’s planning committee on July 24, councillors voted in favour of the proposals.

A planning officer said all the former hospital buildings would be demolished and 26 out of the 87 homes would be marketed as affordable – 15 for social rent, five as shared ownership and six as starter homes.

The design of the homes would be “in keeping with housing in this part of Benenden,” the officer said.

Originally, Esquire was only planning to contribute £300,000 to local public services.

After members voted to defer the decision officers met with the developer and KCC to secure more cash.

“Officers negotiated with the developer to get an increase that was offered by them of a further £265,000 of financial contributions towards that infrastructure,” a planning chief said.

This money will go towards the county council for healthcare, transport, waste management, children’s services and education – though it is still less than KCC wanted for schools.

However, if the development makes more profit than expected a “clawback clause” will take effect, making the developers pay more to the council for education.

David Braddon, director and co-owner of Esquire, told the meeting: “We listened carefully to the debate and heard loud and clear the committee’s desire for us to try and improve the contributions being offered.”

The £565,000 the developer will be contributing will be paid only once the development is 90% occupied, or after five years, whichever comes sooner.

“We immediately set out seeking creative ways in which we could improve the offer whilst crucially maintaining the policy-compliant level of affordable housing proposed which has been the number one objective of this site,” Mr Braddon continued.

“This is a longstanding, complex brownfield site and has substantial challenges.

“The parish council have put a lot of time and effort into successfully allocating this redundant brownfield site and we have worked with them and the local community to bring forward a scheme of the highest quality.”

Benenden Parish Council has long supported the application and the redevelopment of the former hospital site.

Now standing empty, the original hospital was opened in 1907, with new wings built in 1937 and 1953.

The site sits next to the new, private Benenden Hospital, which was opened in 2017.

When the new hospital was approved in 2013, the planning permission included 24 homes but they have not been built.

The former cricket pavilion on the site will be turned into a community building but the pitch will be kept.

Cllr Hugo Pound (Lab) told the meeting: “I don’t deny that I led the charge for this application to be refused because I didn’t believe it was a sustainable development.

“Although I’m still very uncomfortable and very unhappy with the delay to the commuted sums that is being proposed, it’s clear that there has been some good round-table discussions.

“KCC is clearly willing to tolerate or at least swallow the bitter pill of not having much infrastructural support early on in this development.
“I am certainly of a view now that we should support the application because I think it needs to go ahead.

“I don’t think it is wholly ideal but I think it’s better than leaving a vacant brownfield site within the borough.”

TWBC’s planning committee voted to approve the application, with seven votes in favour, none against and one abstention.