A site which was once a Royal Mail sorting office will sit empty for a little longer as the local authority waits to find a developer.

Maidstone council granted itself planning permission to construct 180 flats, shops and a new public park back in October of last year on the site of the former Royal Mail Sorting Office in Sandling Road, Maidstone.

The demolition of all the old buildings and the site clearance was completed in November, but since then there has been no further work on the plot, close to Maidstone East Station, which remains surrounded by hoardings.

The council said it was in the midst of a tender process to select a developer. However, the council is still optimistic that construction will start in the summer of next year, with completion by the summer of 2028.

Cllr Tony Harwood (Lib Dem), the cabinet member for planning policy and management, said: “This is a brownfield development that will first and foremost benefit local families in desperate need of affordable housing.

“But the county town will also gain a new town park over an acre in size.

“The trees, meadowland and grass pitch (to be planted) will create a wildlife-rich green lung for this heavily built-up 'urban heat island' area of Maidstone.

“Added to these health benefits, Maidstone council is working closely with the NHS Health and Care Partnership to deliver state-of-the-art community health facilities within the development.”

The redevelopment of the former Royal Mail Sorting Office was first mooted 10 years ago.

Originally, MBC and KCC had jointly purchased the land for redevelopment back in 2015, with the idea of building a shared council headquarters building for both authorities there, but nothing materialised.

The borough council bought out KCC’s interest in 2022 and proceeded with its own plans.

All did not go smoothly, however, as the council’s first planning application, which was for 217 flats in four blocks, was knocked back by its own planning committee in March, 2024, as being too cramped.

The revised scheme, with one block dropped, has meant 37 fewer flats, but has enabled an increased public park area in the centre of the development of around one acre.

The application was approved without any element of affordable housing being required, although the council is hoping 30% of the flats will be built as affordable.

The central park will be owned and managed by the council.

The sorting office closed in 2013.

Find out about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal.

Details of the approved scheme can be viewed on the borough council’s website under reference number: 23/504552.