Need Help Designing Kitchen layout for Buy and Hold SFR

[Jeff Bridges]

My contractor put together a caad layout of a new proposed kitchen layout for a buy and hold in a C+/B neighborhood and it looks like it needs a little refinement. Can any of you make suggestions on how to improve the proposed layout or if you think its the best given the situation? The situation is we're on a slab foundation and trenching is not worth it so we want to keep the plumbing in the same area. Seems a bit closed off with adding the wall on the right side, when it could easily become a open peninsula instead of a walled off corner. I'm also worried about the new dining nook since there are no windows in that corner. I have to make sure we add lighting to that area so its appropriately lit, since adding new windows might be cost prohibitive for the budget. It could be that functional layout as-is would work, but some might be bad for resale value. What do you think about the laundry closet placement? I don't think there is much choice without trenching the sewer into the far left corner, which I don't want to do.

Goals:

-Need to keep laundry and sink/Dishwasher as close to original sewer area as possible since we're on a concrete slab and dont want to trench new lines.
-Keep costs low keeping in mind this is a buy and hold
-Make layout feel open if possible
-Or is current layout the best possible in order to keep costs low?
- is a stacked washer dryer better instead of the big closet for side by side or maybe a combo stacked dryer?

Thanks in advance!

This is the setup pre-demo (yes we've already addressed the obvious damage present in the pics from termites):

[Tom V.]

Looks to be about as open as you can get with that space and the plumbing restrictions. I'd skip the stacked w/d idea and put in wall shelving above the side by side w/d. I like your idea of leaving out the wall on the right side and make the counter top a peninsula that is open to the dining room.