A once-bustling Christian holiday camp left to rack and ruin for 15 years is in line to be transformed into a huge retirement village.

Developer Xiros Limited has unveiled plans to turn Herne Bay Court into a 60-bed care home, with a further 72 flats and 49 bungalows.

A shop, restaurant and hairdressers – all of which will be run by the new facility – will also be erected across the nine-acre site in Canterbury Road, one of the main routes into Herne Bay.

Residents believe the proposals will “only be good for the area”, as the landmark has been a magnet for vandals and unruly teens since it was vacated in 2007.

Neighbour Ray Radmore, whose Parsonage Road cattery faces the plot, told KentOnline: “Hopefully it happens because we’ve had so much vandalism over there.

“Kids have been breaking in just for fun – it’s getting ridiculous and one of them is going to hurt themselves.

“It’s happening once or twice every week, even now. At the height of it, people were taking the lead as well.

“Provided we have the right number of doctors in place, then it’ll only be good for the area because it’s a lovely green site in a perfect position.

"It's going to be like a mini village, and it will be good for the community. Bring it on."

Originally known as Parsonage House, the site was built in 1896.

Soon afterwards it was home to an engineering college, before being occupied by a succession of military units during the Second World War.

Shortly after changing hands in 1948, the plot was turned into a Christian conference and holiday centre, where visitors enjoyed its facilities for almost 60 years.

Over the period its main building overlooked lawns, a swimming pool and tennis courts.

Dwindling demand and the prospect of housing developments near the site influenced the decision by owners Centre Ministries Office, based in Shropshire, to sell up.

Senior town councillor Andrew Cook added: “The building’s a waste of space at the moment.

“Movement on that site is a good thing, and the concept [of a retirement village] seems positive.”

Cllr Cook says Kent County Council had recently considered whether Herne Bay Court would be a suitable site to house a new secondary school, but it was deemed too small for such a scheme.

Documents show Xiros wants to demolish part of the main building and construct an extension to create a care home equipped with 60 en-suite bedrooms.

The new bungalows and flats will be assisted-living and independent-living facilities for elderly people.

Xiros expects the retirement village to employ up to 17 full-time members of staff in all.

Plans lodged this week with Canterbury City Council state: “Xiros have been working for the last 24 months to bring forward a well-designed and deliverable scheme.

“Funders are now in place to deliver the site.

“The funders’ approach to care is to design and build unique market-leading facilities for the older population and for those who want independent living but also require a level of day-to-day care.”

It is not the first time a retirement village has been proposed for the plot in Eddington.

In 2012 developers revealed plans for a £30 million scheme, which included 150 apartments, a health and wellbeing centre and club house.

A consultation on the proposals took place that year and it was hoped construction could start in 2014 - with the village creating 150 jobs.

But the initial plans were knocked back by council officers in November 2012 as concerns were raised about its size, layout and scale.

A revised 117-home bid was submitted the following year, before being green-lit in December 2013.

Work was set to start in January 2015, but subsequently postponed until the following year.

“The extant planning consent was never built due to difficulties of the former developer to secure funding, before the plot was acquired by Xiros,” the planning documents add.

“Vandalism is an issue here – despite security measures being taken – and it is in the best interests of the site for it to be developed with an active use rather than continue to lay dormant.

“The proposal brings a derelict site back to the community and re-considers the retirement village model as one that can be successfully delivered."