Nearly 1,000 homes planned near a country park could be built over the next two decades.

It is estimated the first of the 975, for Cottington Park, near Deal, would be ready by 2025 and the last hoped for by 2045 at the latest.

However, the scheme has to clear all the planning hurdles with Dover District Council and be placed in its next local plan.

Ben Geering, development director for developers Quinn Estates, told Kent Online: "This is a long term project so with this number of home you are looking at building between 50 and 100 homes a year over a 10 to 20 year period.

"If the site is allocated in the local plan you may have your first homes being built in 2024/2025 so you are looking at potentially until 2040 or 2045 for the length of this development."

The scheme, for Cottington Park neighbouring Betteshanger, is projected to be worth £300 million.

It is from the edge of Deal and around Cottington Lakes and mostly for houses rather than flats. It includes affordable and retirement dwellings.

The Committee on Climate Change (UK independent advisers for government) estimates that 40% of UK emissions come from housing so the homes at Cottington Park will be designed to reduce this.

They will have reduced energy consumption and have solar panels connected to home battery systems.

Householders additionally will be able to use electric vehicle charging points.

The project includes a new primary school, a park and ride service with electric buses linking to Deal railway station and other improvements to local roads.

It also involves expanding the neighbouring Betteshanger Country Park to include Cottington Lakes, creating what Quinn Estates calls a green lung totalling about 400 acres.

There will be a new nature reserve of 188 acres right between Betteshanger Park and Deal town.

Company chairman Mark Quinn said: "This will create one of the largest nature reserve in the South East of England.

"That's 400 acres of country park and nature reserve: 400 football pitches.

"In terms of land take the housing only takes up 14%. The rest is used for school premises, infrastructure, a green travel route, sports facilities and the green lung."

A total 20 trees will be planted for each home, creating an environment that, with Betteshanger Park, has more than 150,000 trees.

Richard Taylor-Jones is a wildlife filmmaker and conservationist who will advise Quinn Estates on enhancing and protecting nature.

He said: "There is a tidal wave of development coming to the South East and I wanted to engage with property developers to see if they would be prepared to make space for nature.

"I have found that Quinn Estates have been very interested in a lot of my ideas and willing to take them on. I am quite excited about what's possible to achieve by working with them."

On May 27 Dover District Council granted the company, based in Canterbury, permission for a separate development.

This was for 210 homes directly on the former Betteshanger Colliery land.

Opponents of the plans fear construction could harm wildlife at the brownfield site, reclaimed since the mine was closed in 1989.

Mr Quinn commented: "I would go under the colliery conveyor belt to go to my school when I was a young lad. If we don't build on a former colliery site, where would they like us to build?"

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