Riverside Square, Canterbury
Location: Canterbury, Kent
Client: Hyde Housing
Completed: Summer 2024
Value: £29m
Following a substantial period of planning, procurement and pre-construction input, Jenner were appointed for the construction of 189no. affordable new homes in the heart of Canterbury. The new homes, a mix of predominantly apartment living and some new build houses, are being delivered on behalf of longstanding client Hyde Housing and are now complete and available for shared ownership and affordable rent.
The twenty-nine-million pound contract forms part of the Section106 Agreement to deliver the residential aspect of the wider multi-million-pound regeneration scheme that brings new retail and commercial space as well as substantial student accommodation to the city, and which sees the former Serco waste depot and neighbouring redundant land transformed into the impressive vision of developer LinkCity. With so many parties involved, open and honest communications, strong relations and transparency in our approach were wholly imperative at every stage in the delivery of this complex project.
Sub-divided into two sites for management purposes and working concurrently in the early phases of construction with fellow (international) contractor Bouygues, the major development consists of 173 apartments and 16 houses, technically designed by appointed Architects, Ashford-based RDA. The apartments are a carefully considered mix of one-, two- and three-bedroomed homes built across four blocks of reinforced concrete frame construction (with 17no being delivered via a separate smaller block, traditionally built), and all spaciously sized to accommodate two persons per bedroom. The project had the added challenge of constructing 106 of the apartments above an existing podium deck built by Bouygues. Success of these apartments was ultimately reliant on close and regular co-ordination between all parties involved, working under a Mutual Licence and Works Collaboration Agreement.
The apartments visually create a staggered-effect through the differing storeys they are designed (and will be built) to, ranging from 6 storeys (to include a lower ground floor car park) down to 3. All (except two ) have balconies to take advantage of the surrounding regenerated landscape, waterside living and stunning cathedral views at the highest levels and some have terraces. The houses, of traditional brick and block construction are all three-bedroomed, sized to accommodate four people over two storeys and with good sized gardens to the rear.
Fronting the busy Kingsmead Road, one of Canterbury’s main thoroughfares, the site sits behind the new Curzon cinema complex that offers a range of eateries and entertainment venues, welcoming a high footfall of visitors to the locality.
The construction of these delightful new homes completed in the late Summer (2024) and was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury who openly praised the quality of the build.
