Proposed Development

The proposal seeks to provide a new Community Care Hub on land at Hill Farm. The new Hub will comprise the following facilities:

  • A new hospice;
  • A 73-bed residential care home;
  • Six bungalows and eight flats for adult supported living; and
  • Older persons affordable bungalows. 

Extensive landscaping is also proposed to the south and east of the site, together with a woodland buffer.

New Hospice

Heart of Kent Hospice has been based at Preston Hall (Aylesford) since 1991. However, for the hospice to continue to meet the growing demand for its services it has been looking for a new site to build a purpose-built hospice which will be fit for the future needs of local residents. 

A new building will enable the hospice to support even more people, as it will be easier for patients and visitors to reach. It will include a larger, state of the art Inpatient Unit, a wider range of Outpatient support facilities, outdoor space, landscaped to enhance the care and wellbeing of terminally ill people and better car parking which will improve access to its specialist support, teams and facilities. It would also enable the hospice to meet the growing demand for Hospice Hub drop-in services and dementia support.

The location of the existing hospice is difficult for people to travel to and cannot accommodate any expansion. This is impacting on the experience received by patients and their loved ones. Redevelopment of the existing site has previously been explored and is unfeasible due to the lack of space around it, expense and severe disruption or loss of end-of-life provision during a redevelopment, which would not be an option. 

The new hospice will provide specialist end-of-life support and care to thousands of people living with a life-limiting or terminal illness, and their loved ones. Heart of Kent Hospice exists to enable people with a terminal illness in the community to live in comfort, with independence and dignity to the end of their lives, and to support those closest to them. 

The facility will accommodate an Inpatient Unit (IPU) comprising 12 ensuite bedrooms all with access to the garden and all the clinical facilities required for modern palliative and end-of-life care. This will also include short stays for symptom control and pain management together with the following:

  • Outpatient facilities including Hospice Hub drop-in clinics, a Making Memories dementia programme, a Dementia Café, as well as space for gym/physiotherapy centre and a suite of consulting and counselling rooms;
  • Bereavement/patient and family support areas;
  • Office space for community teams and family services;
  • Education and training facilities;
  • Café which will be open to the public as well as patients and visitors;
  • Garden Room; Multi-faith space and;
  • Tranquil, calm and restorative outside space

Externally there will be significant landscaping proposed, including a sensory garden, together with approximately 100 car park spaces.

Artist's impression of the proposed scheme. 

Residential Care Home

People are living longer lives and the proportion of older people in the population is increasing. Key projections show that the UK will have:

  1. 51% more people aged 65 and over in England in 2030 compared to 2010; and
  2. 101% more people aged 85 and over in England in 2030 compared to 2010;

While the increase in the ageing population has been clear for decades, there has been a significant shortfall in the delivery of new care provision. At the local level, Kent has seen a steady decline in small independent care homes over the past five years, and the construction of new accommodation failing to keep pace. The need to provide housing for older people is therefore critical.

Offering older people a better choice of accommodation to suit their changing needs can help them live independently for longer, feel more connected to their communities and help reduce costs to the social care and health systems.

The proposed development therefore includes the construction of a 73-unit care home, which will provide three elements of care:

  1. Residential Care;
  2. Nursing Care; and
  3. Dementia Care.

The facility will be set across two floors and will provide accommodation for the elderly who require regular care. Communal rooms will be provided, including activity rooms, lounges, hairdressers, a café, a cinema room, dining rooms, and quiet rooms. Treatment and care rooms will also be provided.

   

Artist's impression of the proposed scheme. 

Supported living units for people with learning disabilities and autistic people

The number of people aged 18 - 64 with a learning disability in England, is projected to increase from 1.16 million in 2020 to 1.2 million by 2040. The proportion of people with a learning disability and autistic people living with family and friends is 37%, with many of these wanting to live independently.

Research suggests that only 5,600 units of supported housing for people with learning disabilities and autistic people have been developed since April 2017. Based on current provision supply, it is estimated that there will be a need for between 1800 and 2300 units per annum over the period to 2037 in England.

In line with the national shortage, there is a significant under-provision of facilities of this nature within the Borough. This application therefore seeks to construct 14 new homes for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Each unit has been specifically designed to meet the life-long needs of its future tenants.

The single storey units are designed to make it easier for adults with care and support needs to live independently and lead the fullest lives possible.

The units would accommodate a maximum of 14 tenants at any time, and would be staffed appropriately to ensure their wellbeing, and also to ensure that the site is properly managed. This would be staffed 24 hours a day, on a shift/rota basis.

Affordable Elderly Accommodation

Research has revealed a national shortage of senior living housing units across the UK, highlighting the urgency for a greater allocation of sites to the sector to accommodate an ageing population as the housing crisis intensifies. 

Within the Borough of Maidstone, research into the specific need for the over 60s has revealed that there are insufficient new homes being built to meet this growing need.

Furthermore, the Council are not seeking to make any provision within their new Local Plan to meet this need. At present there are only 15 developments for the elderly within the Borough, none of which have any capacity at present. It is also noted that the majority of these developments are flatted and are provided on a leasehold basis, which makes them unaffordable for many most in need.

Outline permission is therefore being sought for an 100% affordable elderly persons’ homes single storey scheme.

It is also important to note that this element will be 100% affordable, with no properties available to the open market. The properties will be managed by a Registered Provider and would be maintained as affordable.

Landscape Buffer

A significant woodland buffer (50 – 70m in depth) is also proposed to soften the development from the south, and to significantly enhance the ecological value of the site. The woodland buffer will run east to west along the Greensand Ridge, linking it to the Historic Park on the opposite side of Linton Hill, and would also provide areas of contemplation for both residents, staff and visitors of the Hospice, as well as training opportunities for the young adults on site. 

   

Access

The proposed development would utilise the existing access from Heath Road that is to serve the Medical Centre. This access is of sufficient width, and with suitable visibility splays to provide safe access and egress for both the Care Provision and the residential component.

   

Access from Heath Road                                                                                                               Existing Medical Centre