Hallmark Developments has received planning consent for a major new retirement village at Priory Hall, Halstead.
Date posted: 10/12/2008

Andy Butcher, a senior planning consultant at Bidwells, says, “We are delighted that, working with architects Williams Lester, we have successfully secured planning permission for this major new retirement village on behalf of Hallmark Developments.”

The approved development provides for 86 retirement dwellings, comprising apartments and cottages, and a 59-bed care home on the site of a former school. The scheme is focussed around the original 1909 school building, which is to be restored and converted to provide apartments and a club house for residents.

The application followed extensive pre-application consultation with planning officers, the Town Council and members of the public, which included a two day public exhibition of the proposals hosted by Bidwells. The planning team worked in partnership with the project architects to develop an ‘arts and crafts’ theme to the design which was well received by the Council, with supporting information to fully justify the proposals for the development.

The team provided a landscape strategy to frame the development around protected trees and a series of communal open spaces that will encourage active lifestyles and a sense of community within the village.

The scheme, with a package of planning contributions including affordable housing, highway and local community provision, was approved without objections by Braintree District Council’s Planning Committee.

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