THE developer of a retirement complex on the former site of the Arriva bus depot on St John’s Road has named a construction company for the job.
Elysian Residences has chosen HG Construction for its development, which includes 89 apartments, with dining, leisure and communal facilities for the residents, rising to between three and six storeys.
The construction company is already building a retirement scheme for Elysian in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
Referring to the site on the major A26 artery, the construction company said it would be installing pre-cast floors and stairs, as well as bathroom and utility cupboard ‘pods’.
The development site has been at the centre of a complex sliding block puzzle in Tunbridge Wells, with businesses moving from site to site to secure a suitable location.
The Times revealed in June 2016 that the former Arriva bus depot on St John’s Road had been sold to a developer, although the transport operator secured a lease-back arrangement, to buy time to move to another depot.
Assisted care provider Pegasus Life had planned to build three residential blocks on the site, providing accommodation for older people and staff, and planning approval for this was granted in late 2017.
Pegasus changed its name to Lifestory Group and later sold the St John’s Road site with planning permission to Elysian Residences.
In the meantime, Elysian had originally planned to build an £80million-luxury retirement complex at the ABC Cinema site, but pulled out of the central location in October 2020, blaming uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
Having decided to build on the Arriva bus depot site instead, Elysian secured £39.3million in funding from Silbury Finance in November 2021.
The latest listed planning application for the St John’s Road site is a submission of details in relation to one of the conditions for planning permission, this one relating to biodiversity, submitted this July.
