A FORMER hospital and university accommodation site is to be transformed into a collection of new homes in a Kent city.

Monro Homes has bought the site, known as The Mount, at Stodmarsh Road, Canterbury, and will create a development of 21 houses by converting some of the existing buildings and building new ones.

Originally the buildings were opened as the Canterbury Sanatorium in 1897 and later in 1948 were acquired by the National Health Service and renamed the Canterbury Fever Hospital.

The site was renamed again in 1958 as The Mount Hospital before it was later used by Christ Church University College as student accommodation.

In 1990 the land was designated as a conservation area.

Kings Hill-based Vertex Law helped to acquire the plot, which is next to a golf course, and will handle the legal aspects on all properties sold.

Alistair Morrison, chairman of Monro Homes, said: "We were delighted with the service offered by Vertex as they were able to act very quickly to secure the site in a contract race.

"We have enjoyed a close working relationship with Vertex and they have been able to offer us a complete package from acquiring the land to selling the finished project.

"We are particularly pleased to be able to breathe new life into this site which already possesses a fascinating history to it and I am sure these homes will provide an equally interesting future."