Plans for 44 homes on Marco Industries and Medicys sites in Staplehurst Road, Sittingbourne
Published: 05:00, 26 March 2024
Updated: 12:09, 26 March 2024
Plans to build more than 40 homes on the site of a factory and market research office have been revealed.
Developers have earmarked land in Staplehurst Road, Sittingbourne, for a new housing estate.
Company 152 Staplehurst Road Ltd’s application seeks outline planning permission for 44 homes on a 7,350 square meter site which would be accessed from Kenilworth Court.
The premises are occupied by building material supplier Marco Industries and healthcare market researcher Medicy.
The former is one of 17 brands that fall under the Vink UK Limited umbrella – a distributor of plastics materials with more than 100 independent businesses across Europe.
In the proposals the applicant was asked: “Are there any existing employees on the site or will the proposed development increase or decrease the number of employees?”
To which it answered “No”.
Buildings used by EPS Logistics, which sits next door to Marco Industries, are not included in the plans.
Find out about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal.
In the planning documents submitted to Swale council’s planning committee, APX Architecture, on behalf of 152 Staplehurst Road Ltd, says the development is an “opportunity to cease the commercial uses”.
It added: “All the existing commercial/residential buildings will be demolished, and open storage uses and parking areas removed.”
Included in the master plan for the site are six one-bedroom and 18 two-bedroom apartments as well as eight two-bedroom and 11 three-bedroom houses.
There will also be an allowance of 10% for affordable homes.
The new homes, the developers say, “will contribute to the delivery of much-needed housing” on an “urban and brownfield site, where the council is currently failing to deliver a sufficient supply of homes”.
In the proposals, the applicant states there would be an extra 39 car parking spaces that would take the total to 65 – up from 25 spaces currently.
There would also be a new provision of 44 cycle spaces. There are none at present.
Parking provisions stand at one space for one and two-bedroom houses and two spaces for three-bedroom plus homes. Visitor parking is worked out using a ratio of 0.2 spaces per dwelling.
Swale council is expected to make a decision by Tuesday, May 28.
Marco Industries declined to comment and Medicys was approached for comment.
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Joe Crossley