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Diggers are set to start laying the foundations for a massive £150 million estate.
Work on the 450-home scheme – dubbed Thornden Wood Village – in Greenhill is finally going to press ahead, as bosses expect properties to start hitting the market in 12 months’ time.
Firm Hollamby Estates was given the green light by Canterbury City Council last summer to go ahead with the long-delayed project.
The company later struck a deal to sell the site to house-builder Bellway Homes, which is waiting for its detailed plans to be given the thumbs up by the authority before beginning construction.
Hollamby development manager Chris Crook told KentOnline: “Herne Bay, and Canterbury in general, needs new homes.
“Bellway will have to follow the guidelines that have been agreed upon – and that is for family homes and some apartments together with affordable housing.
“It’s a very family-orientated environment, this one.”
The 57-acre plot to the south of Greenhill Road will comprise a range of two-, three- and four-bedroom family homes, along with a number of two-bedroom flats.
As part of the scheme, Briary Primary School will be given additional playing fields, an improved car park and an enhanced drop-off area for parents.
“It will bring a significant amount of open space that isn’t available to the general public at the moment,” Mr Crook continued.
“Briary will get properly surfaced and properly fenced new pitches right next to the school, rather than in the location they’re in at the moment.
“It will be of sufficiently high standard for them to think about commercial use of those pitches, and that’s always good for helping their coffers.”
A community building, pitches and a hard-surfaced multi-games area, which are set to be managed by Herne Bay Roller Hockey Club, will also be built.
Mr Crook had previously said he hoped the first of the site’s homes would be occupied by the end of 2019.
But new owner Bellway Kent now expects the properties to start to “be marketed and built from 2022”.
The firm’s land director, Dan Merriman, said: “The new homes we’re delivering to this neighbourhood will strengthen the residential market in the area and form a key part of a scheme which will benefit existing and new residents.”
