local authority:   Dartford Borough Council

Harold Campbell Court is a purpose built mixed scheme of 12 units in the heart of Dartford within ten minutes of Dartford train station and five minutes from the shopping centre. It is opposite Phoenix Place Housing Co-operative, the estate built in Dartford in the 1970's while Harold Campbell was chair of CDS Co-operatives. The scheme consists of 7 one bed flats for couples and 5 three bed maisonettes for families. One of the maisonettes is a disabled unit with a lift and other adaptations.

The scheme is one of CDS Co-operatives’s newest developments, completed in April 2003. CDS owned, it was decided it was not feasible to set it up as an independent co-op due to the small number of units, it has therefore been amalgamated with Phoenix Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.

All the properties are fully double glazed and have fitted kitchens and bathrooms. The flats have the added security of door entry systems and possess external balconies giving the occupants a good clear view of Dartford town. Each property has allocated parking in the car park to the rear of the property and this is secured by an electronic gate. All the maisonettes have small back gardens and there is a cycle shed in one corner of the car park.

The flats all pay a service charge to cover:

• cleaning, lighting and maintenance of common areas
• upkeep of intercom system
• maintenance of entrance gates and car park
• lighting to communal areas
• lighting to car park area

The maisonettes pay a service charge to cover:

• lighting to car park area
• maintenance of entrance gates and car park
• in addition, the disabled maisonette pays an additional charge for the maintenance of the lift

The area is accessible by a good bus network link to the town centre, Bluewater and beyond. Supermarkets, the Priory and Orchard Shopping Centres and Orchard Theatre are within five minutes walking distance from the scheme. Dartford Police Station is based in Instone Road, two to three minutes away and the nearest hospital is Darent Valley Hospital.

There are a number of infant and junior schools within close proximity to the scheme including Oakfield Infant and Junior Schools. Dartford Technology College, a secondary school for girls with a mixed sixth form college are also close by.

All the tenants possess assured tenancy agreements under the Housing Act 1988 which gives them all security of tenure as Local Authority Tenants with the exception of the ‘right to buy’. However, under new guidelines as set out in the Housing Act 2004 all the tenants of this scheme possess the ‘right to acquire’ (the equivalent of the right to buy’) under certain terms and conditions.

Allocations to this scheme are strictly via Darthomes, who have 100% nomination rights. Anyone wishing to transfer to or away from this scheme should be registered on Dartford Council’s common housing register and apply for any vacant properties under the new choice based lettings scheme that came into effect in the Borough in April 2005.