Westgate Road Residential Development

Westgate Road is a signature residential development in Dartford, acting as a key gateway building for the town centre.

The scheme prioritises high-quality materials and human-scale placemaking to help bridge the gap between historic Dartford and its future regeneration.

Shaping a gateway building for Dartford

By transforming underutilised land into a contemporary residential development, the project replaces a vacant site with a building that respects its neighbours while delivering essential new homes to the borough.

We provided architecture and urban design-led services, developing a scheme that responds carefully to its surroundings while bringing a confident new identity to Westgate Road.

The design takes a sensitive approach to a complex urban site, drawing on the scale and massing of nearby Victorian and early 20th-century terraces so the building feels like a natural extension of the street.

As a gateway site, the development also plays an important placemaking role within Dartford’s wider regeneration plans. By replacing blank and underused boundaries with active frontages, including a mix of townhouses and flats, the scheme creates a safer and more engaged pedestrian environment along Westgate Road.

Positioned at the Westgate Road and Hythe Road junction, the building acts as a visual marker that signals the transition into a revitalised and pedestrian-friendly town centre.

Materiality and architectural identity

Materiality became one of the defining ideas behind the project.

The elevations use a woven brick façade made up of two contrasting brick tones, creating texture and depth that changes with light throughout the day. Extruded brick detailing beneath windows creates additional layers of shadow and visual interest, while deep red terraces and balustrades introduce contrast and help create a distinctive identity across the building.

Decorative brickwork and patterned materials pay homage to local heritage while creating a distinctive and high-quality contemporary finish. Recessed slots within the façade break down the overall scale of the building to reflect the rhythm of traditional terrace houses and avoid a monolithic appearance.

Contemporary bay windows provide a direct architectural nod to neighbouring homes, strengthening the relationship between the development and the surrounding street.

Designing homes around comfort and everyday living

Designed to meet Nationally Described Space Standards, the homes focus on quality, comfort and long-term performance.

All apartments are dual-aspect, bringing natural light and cross-ventilation into living spaces from two directions. Bedrooms are positioned on quieter elevations to support privacy, while living areas are located on prominent corners to make the most of views and daylight.

The scheme follows a fabric-first and low-carbon design approach, aiming to exceed Part L Building Regulations by 70% through sustainable construction materials, advanced insulation and high-performance glazing to support long-term comfort and reduce energy costs for residents. Private amenity space and integrated cycle storage further support wellbeing and encourage more sustainable, car-free living.

Supporting Dartford’s wider regeneration

This is more than a residential development. Transforming vacant buildings into a high-quality frontage while encouraging social interaction and walkability, Westgate Road shows how higher-density, low-rise housing can sit comfortably within historic market towns and support long-term social and economic vitality.