REFLECTING ON 2025 – CHATHAM WATERS

Chatham Waters is redefining waterfront living in Medway, Kent. With 628 homes now built and occupied, new public realm, the promenade and park all complete and a growing community of neighbours, workers and students, the redevelopment of Chatham Waters is well underway.

Take a look at some of our highlights from the year.

NEW SPACES TO PLAY AND RELAX:
CHATHAM WATERS LINEAR PARK COMPLETED

In January, we celebrated the completion and opening of our first park at Chatham Waters. The new linear park spans over half an acre and has completely transformed the former industrial brownfield land into a scenic and sensory central corridor, running through Chatham Waters from the entrance point to the River Medway.

Over 80 new trees and 15 different varieties of shrubs have been planted, with species chosen to provide habitats for wildlife and pollinators for bees. Over 1,000m² of lawn has been laid, providing areas for the growing number of residents to relax in and play games, with benches and picnic areas installed to encourage residents to sit, socialise and utilise the park.

We marked the completion of our new public park at Chatham Waters in Medway, Kent. During the event the final tree was planted by James Whittaker Managing Director of Peel Waters, with Greg Dickson and Lara Elsegood, the son and daughter of the late Andrew Dickson our friend and colleague who was instrumental on delivery of our projects at Chatham Waters.

Read the full story from the park opening here.

“ANDREW’S ALLOTMENT” COMMUNITY GARDEN OPENS

Within the park, we have created an area called “Andrew’s Allotment” as a lasting tribute to Andrew Dickson. Andrew was passionate about building areas for communities and families to enjoy and ensured these spaces were always designed and completed to an incredibly high standard.

Andrew led on construction across Chatham Waters and Wirral Waters. At Wirral Waters, Andrew oversaw the creation of the public realm at Redbridge Quay Phase One, which included resident gardens complete with fruit orchards.  As a fitting tribute, we created  an allotment for children to learn about growing fruit and vegetables, engage with nature  and a place for families to enjoy which would align with our memories of Andrew.

Kind, humble and caring, with a memorable laugh and warm presence, Andrew played an integral role in building Chatham Waters, and he is incredibly missed by all. We hope that all those who visit the park and Andrew’s Allotment enjoy the space and reflect fondly on his memory and we are very happy to see residents from across Chatham Waters now tending to the garden, seeing both the produce and friendships flourish.

Take a look at the video from the opening of Andrew’s Allotment here.

CONSTRUCTION STARTED ON OUR NEXT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

In spring we started work on our next development, the Chatham Waters Care Home. The purpose-built, four-storey, 75-bed care home sits in the centre of Chatham Waters and will have on-site facilities to encourage socialising and community building within a comfortable, safe, and supportive space for later living. A dementia friendly bistro café, hair salon, cinema, and sensory rooftop garden for residents to enjoy and relax in will all be built within the development.

Community engagement has been at the forefront of this development. Apex Contractors Ltd who are leading on the build have been working with the onsite Waterfront UTC to offer site visits as well as offering a hugely beneficial T-Level placement for a local student during the build of the care home.

The developers, Montpelier Estates will also be looking to partner with local creatives, artists and makers on the interior design and fit-out of the residential development, more details of this will be announced later in the build programme.

Construction of the Chatham Waters Care Home is expected to be completed by Summer 2026.

Find out more about the Chatham Waters care home here

CHATHAM WATERS CHOSEN AS LOCATION FOR NAUSHABAH KHAN MP’S CONSTITUENCY OFFICE

Following Naushabah Khan being elected as the MP for Gillingham and Rainham, Naushabah chose Chatham Waters as the location for her first office in post. Located on the waterfront promenade, the unit has been transformed into several meeting spaces with a team of seven staff now working from the office.

NEW PARTNERS JOINED THE PARTY AS THE CHATHAM WATERS SUMMER SOCIAL RETURNED FOR ITS THIRD YEAR

The annual Chatham Waters Summer Social is becoming a much-anticipated date in the diary for residents, workers, students and stakeholders. This year we welcomed two new sponsors: Montpelier Estates and Apex Contractors Ltd, alongside X1 Developments, Way of Life and Legal & General Affordable Homes.

This year’s line up of activity was curated by leading placemaking specialists and urban designers – HemingwayDesign. By working in partnership with HemingwayDesign we delved into the history of Chatham and Medway and used arts and culture to bring it to life.

Inspired by Chatham’s historic docks and rope-making heritage. Chatham’s Master Ropemakers maintain a process of ropemaking that dates back over 400 years. Our hands-on workshop, used rope to create keychains and phone necklaces, bringing traditional techniques into a modern context. The creativity continued with artist Lucy Grainge running screen printing sessions with a design inspired by the areas ship making heritage and exciting present and future.

Disco balls lined the trees in the dock gardens, music was provided by local DJs from the Kent DJ Academy, whilst neighbours sat and doodled together around a huge communal table in the shape of the River Medway, designed and built by the students and staff at the onsite Waterfront UTC.

We also provided residents of Chatham Waters with their first communal sauna, to use free of charge. The wood fired sauna and chilled plunge pools by Zoky Saunas overlooked the basin and provided the perfect sunset relaxation spot.

CHATHAM WATERS IS NOW ON INSTAGRAM

Keeping our community updated and involved with our projects is very important to us. With so much going on and so much planned for 2026 we have reflected on how best to keep our community up to date with the latest news from across Chatham Waters. We have now officially launched our dedicated Chatham Waters Instagram account.

You can join our community and stay updated by following us Instagram here.

Looking Ahead to 2026

We spoke to Leigh Thomas, our Development Director for Chatham Waters on the projects and milestones he’s most looking forward to in 2026.

Care home completion and summer social

“2026 will be a year of partnerships and progress for Chatham Waters. We’ll be starting of the year by celebrating the topping out of our most recent development at Chatham Waters. Developer Montpelier Estates and their contractor Apex Construction have predicted the four-storey, 75-bed Chatham Waters Care Home with be completed by summer 26.

The opening of the Care Home will tie in with the return of our summer social, which is an event we look forward to every year and continues to grow year-on-year, and brings residents, businesses and students together.

Throughout the year we will be progressing with plans to bring forward more homes and submit a planning application for the next residential developments at Chatham Waters.

Progression of Basin3 employment and enterprise campus

Over at Basin3, we’re really looking forward to progressing with plans to regenerate our 18acre brownfield site that sits adjacent to the Waterfront UTC deliver into a high-spec, employment and enterprise campus.

In 2026, we will also turn our attention to the north side of Chatham Waters. We’re hopeful that Chatham Waters will be allocated in Medway’s local plan, allowing us to progress with the further regeneration of the wider industrial estate.

walking and cycling route

Finally, we’re also looking forward to working with the council to explore the delivery of ‘The Greenway’ which would provide a brand-new walking and cycling route to connect Gillingham Town Centre up with existing and future neighbourhoods, including Chatham Waters and the university campuses; it could be a real game changer for connectivity in Medway.”