A derelict care home will be replaced with 34 flats including gardens near a busy high street.
A company wants to construct 34 apartments there. The building could be five stories high. The plan includes 17 two-bedroom places and 17 three-bedroom places. They have a communal garden, with private gardens and balconies also included. Two parking spots for disabled people are planned.
The council said yes to tearing down Hobkirk House. They okayed demolishing the Noble Centre, too, which is a physiotherapy place next door. The school, Burlington Junior School, needed space. Part of the land gives the school extra play space because the school is growing. They sold the rest to the company planning the homes. Tearing things down has already started.
They wanted to build 36 homes before, but the council didn’t like that idea because they said it wasn’t right for the area. Now, they changed the plan a bit, reducing the number of homes to 34. The building will be a bit smaller overall.
The builders say it helps people, suggesting that older people can get smaller homes, and families can find bigger homes in a good area.
The building is designed well for the site and helps meet housing needs in Kingston. The location and good living spaces support the plan because people can easily reach shops and services. There are schools, parks, buses, and trains nearby. Half of the new places are for families, which is good because families need homes close to things.
Kingston Council will decide about the plans later.