Archaeology commenced 25-01-2012

Wessex Archaeology have this week commenced work on the NKCC site.

Update 4-11-11

Just to advise on the current state of the project which is now moving forward with great excitement.

We have been working closely with Land Securities throughout this year and have made slight amendments to our design to incorporate changes in the infrastructure around our development site. These are now complete and we have put our proposals to the local authority.

We have used the time to "value engineer" the project and have come up with some considerable cost savings.

We have revised our business plan accordingly and are in negotiations with a bank regarding a substantial loan for the project.

At the end of October our legal team met with Land Securities legal team to take forward the agreement for lease and lease documents. Good progress was made.

We are looking to agree an accelerated programme with our joint venture partners over the next few weeks in order that we can confirm our funding agreement with the bank. We hope to start building on site in May 2012.

Our design team met today to advise on the timescale for delivering design.

We have completed on site engineering investigations to inform foundation design.

All of the above is very exciting and after a number of years of waiting we can now see things starting to move very quickly.

Planning Approval Received 10-11-10

On Wednesday night we received planning permission for our building project at Springhead with a unanimous vote of support from Gravesham council. Not only did we get the permission but the expression of appreciation towards us was amazing, and alongside that a positive desire to see the building in action and stating that "this can only be good for the whole community".

Planning Reference

All the details of our application have now been added to the Gravesham Planning Portal which can be viewed on http://plan.gravesham.gov.uk/PublicAccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=L60C3AHP02600

Our planning reference is 20100696

Planning Submission Made

After five and a half years of negotiation and design work our planning submission was made 23rd July. When the submission recieves a planning reference number we will advise. Normally a decision is expected from the Council in about 3 months. Thanks to Marin Steele, our Architect and our other Consultants for all their hard work to date.

There are now about 145 homes completed at Springhead and the developement is starting to take shape. The build rate has been slower than originally expected because of the ecomomic climate but the site is still moving on with design work on future phases underway.

NKCC will be involved in co-hosting a summer fete on the 21st August at 2.00pm for the residents following a number of successful events held last summer.

Update on Planning and Community Events

All planning submission documents were completed by our design team at the end of February 2010 and our planning submission is now dependant upon approval from our development partners Land Securities and Countryside Properties who are reviewing the scheme. We hope permission will be given shortly.

While the professionals navigate the labyrinth of planning matters, church members have been busy getting to know residents and providing opportunities for the local community, especially the children, to meet and have some fun.

The Craft Afternoon at Painters Ash School at the end of March was a great success and many Mums and Dads will have received wonderful creations as Easter gifts from their offspring! The Competition with the School saw a real “eggstravaganza” of designs – we even had “Jedward” in eggs!

The Easter Egg hunt in Penn Park on 1^st April involved even more boiled eggs and a great many chocolate ones. Children from Springhead and their friends, plus Mums and Dads were not deterred by a very windy afternoon and went home with chocolate smiles and full tummies! We went home with a broken gazebo!

It’s really good getting to know folk and helping them to meet and make friends and settle into this new community.

NKCC Transport Workshop

Yesterday we held the NKCC Transport Workshop, previously postponed due to transport issues and bad weather !

The workshop helped clarify transport topics which will be part of our planning application.

Those present, left to right were Katie Brett and Alyson Jones (Barton Willmore -planning consultant), Tim Allen and Gary Heard (Peter Brett Associates - transport consultant), Peter Mail (Land Securities), Martin Steele (Martin Steele Associates -architect), Peter Carter (NKCC).

The discussion and outcomes were excellent and a planning submission is still on schedule for later this month.