New neighbourhood in Rochester shortlisted for place-making award
Rochester Riverside in Kent has been shortlisted for a prestigious development award.
The new neighbourhood in Rochester – a joint venture between Countryside Homes and Hyde Group, in partnership with Medway Council and Homes England – is one of the projects competing for the Place in Progress award at the Pineapples, which are organised by The Developer magazine.
The awards, which reflect the use of the pineapple as a symbol of welcome in UK architecture, celebrate great places, with 88 projects shortlisted this year across 14 categories. The winners will be announced on Thursday 16 May at a ceremony in St Andrew’s Church in Holborn.
Work began at Rochester Riverside in 2018, with 502 of the 1,400 homes planned now complete. Countryside Homes, which is part of Vistry Group, has recently finished construction on the third phase of the development, known as Parkside Quarter, while a public plaza, a river walkway and a Travelodge, Costa and Co-op have also been completed. A new school – Rochester Riverside C of E Primary School – opened in September 2023.
Alex Hodge, Associate Development Director for Countryside Homes, said: “Rochester Riverside is a vibrant new location in Kent, providing much-needed new homes and community facilities in a stunning riverside setting, and it is great that the scheme is receiving this well-deserved recognition.
“We are honoured to be in the running for a coveted Pineapple award, which recognises projects making a positive social, environmental and economic impact.
“Celebrating placemaking is important to our industry and serves to inspire other schemes which can deliver a host of benefits to local communities by creating new neighbourhoods which are great places to live, work and play.”
Steven Morrice, Hyde’s Development and Sales Director, commented: “We’ve already seen the positive impact Rochester Riverside is having, giving more Medway people a home, so it’s great to be recognised. With a quarter of the homes being affordable, we’re making a real difference to the availability of housing in the area.”
Rochester Riverside has been nominated alongside five other entrants within the Place in Progress category, which recognises places which have made a promising start on their journey to completion.
The next phase of the development will comprise 154 homes located directly to the south of the third phase, and already has detailed planning permission.
The first homes, from a range of one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses, are expected to be released for sale next year.
For more details, visit countrysidehomes.com.
