Project name
Roche Close
Location
Rochford, Essex
Client
Hallmark Developments / Barratt Developments
Completion date
2006
The site, in a conservation area in the centre of the historic town of Rochford, was owned by Hallmark and had previously been owned by the NHS. The brief was to design a scheme to contain a supermarket, library, basement parking, retail units and homes.
Site constraints included its positioning behind the main street frontages and limited vehicle and pedestrian access. Detailed discussions with local planners, Essex County Council Historic Buildings Department and the client indicated that a scheme with strong links to the local vernacular was required. A grouping of buildings was carefully designed around a tight piazza with links into the ‘old town’. The supermarket and library were sited above the basement car park and the building facades were articulated to include two floors of apartments. The buildings forming the other sides of the piazza included private apartments and sheltered housing, with small retail units at street level. Consent was granted in 12 weeks; the site was then sold to Barratt Developments, who retained us through to completion.
