The Paddock

The Paddock plays a pivotal role in reinstalling Chatham’s fragmented urban fabric. Historically a pleasure garden framed by processional routes between the High Street and Fort Amherst, the site became severed by 20th-century infrastructure, bus stations, and road realignments. HTA’s design re-establishes these lost connections, linking the town centre with its heritage assets and wider green infrastructure.

Through strategic landscape moves and regraded levels, the scheme now forms a key civic link between Chatham High Street, the Brook Theatre, and the historic fortifications. The scheme improves legibility, enhances historical understanding, and promotes active travel, healthy lifestyles, and greater use of Medway’s green infrastructure network.

The Paddock has been transformed from a low-value, amenity grass site into a richly planted, biodiverse landscape in the centre of Chatham. Working in close collaboration with horticulturalist Noel Kingsbury, HTA developed a planting design that spans over 2,000m². The scheme introduces a carefully curated mix of climate-resilient, low-maintenance species selected to deliver colour, scent, texture, and ecological benefit year-round.

This approach shifts Medway Council’s open space strategy, placing emphasis on long-term biodiversity and environmental performance. Pollinator species have been prioritised, and plant selections ensure resilience to drought and minimal reliance on irrigation. The scheme is designed to be maintainable within the existing skills and resources of the local authority’s horticultural team.

Beyond ecological benefits, the planting also contributes to Chatham’s microclimate. Structured beds provide shelter from wind and help lower ambient temperatures in summer months. These green buffers also mitigate traffic noise and intercept surface water runoff, improving sustainable drainage and easing pressure on local infrastructure. Together, these interventions create a greener, more resilient public realm at the centre of town

A key challenge was overcoming the site’s physical isolation. Elevated above its surroundings, shaded by over-mature trees, and exposed to wind and road noise, The Paddock was previously underused and difficult to access. The new design lowers the central garden and reconfigures routes and levels to ensure step-free, inclusive access from all sides.

The garden is structured around a series of interlinked spaces, from quiet corners with benches to a central amphitheatre that can host markets, performances, and public events. These spaces are designed at a range of scales to support both solitary visits and collective activity.

New seating areas are sheltered by planting and orientated to maximise sunlight and comfort. The structured topography and planting layers create more comfortable microclimatic conditions, encouraging people to stay longer and return often. The result is a space that supports everyday use while offering flexibility for larger gatherings, making it a valuable part of Chatham’s civic life.

HTA’s involvement with Medway Council dates back to 2010 and has focused on reimagining Chatham’s public realm through long-term, place-led strategies. The Paddock sits at the centre of this work and became the first step in a wider transformation that includes adjacent development sites and future infrastructure upgrades.

HTA led the visioning process that underpinned a successful Future High Streets Fund bid. As lead consultant, we managed the full design team and delivery programme. Key design challenges, such as working around mature tree root zones, were addressed through technical collaboration with council officers. Changes to levels, paths, and soil conditions were resolved to ensure tree retention and healthy growth.

The planting strategy was also designed with long-term maintenance in mind. HTA and Noel Kingsbury worked with the council’s Green Spaces and maintenance teams to deliver workshops, ensuring that planting choices aligned with local skills and resources. This approach embedded stewardship from the outset and supported a sustainable delivery model.

The success of The Paddock has helped establish a framework for future public realm improvements across Chatham, guided by the wider HTA masterplan.

HTA’s involvement in The Paddock went beyond design delivery to shaping the wider story of Chatham’s public realm transformation. From the outset, our team worked closely with Medway Council to articulate a compelling and fundable vision for a neglected space at the town’s core. This work laid the foundation for the successful Future High Streets Fund bid and supported alignment across political, cultural, and community priorities.

Our engagement strategy prioritised clarity, accessibility, and local relevance. Through early collaboration with council officers and civic stakeholders, we developed a narrative that reconnected The Paddock to Chatham’s layered history. A centrepiece of this approach is the engraved public artwork: a large-scale interpretation of an 18th-century military map that encourages visitors to engage with Chatham’s past through tactile, spatial exploration. Designed to be both educational and symbolic, the piece forms a civic landmark within the garden.

We also worked closely with neighbouring site teams and the council’s communications departments to ensure consistent public messaging, including material choices, wayfinding strategies, and long-term place identity.  In addition, horticulturalist Noel Kingsbury led planting workshops with Medway’s Green Spaces and maintenance teams to ensure the planting was sustainable and maintainable