Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Ready to roll on 250-home estate
Work on a controversial 250home development on the outskirts of Canterbury could start next summer if detailed plans are signed off by the council.
National housebuilder Redrow this week confirmed a deal with the firm behind the £94.6 million Hoplands Farm project in Hersden, which has already been approved in principle – despite widespread objections.
The scheme, which is expected to support 200 jobs, includes a medical centre, a dentist, local shops, a nursery and a new business park on 71 acres of farmland.
A full planning application for the homes will be submitted in the coming months, with the aim of beginning construction in August next year. The site is forecast to be complete by September 2024 if the green light is given.
Redrow said 15% of the new homes will be ‘affordable’, while roads and bus routes will be upgraded to support residents.
The housebuilder will contribute £5.3 million towards improving existing facilities and infra- structure in the area.
Hoplands Farm developer Quinn Estates is already working with Redrow on houses at the former Herne Bay golf course, where it will eventually build 572 homes.
The Littlebourne-based developer owns or controls land across 48 sites in the south east earmarked for 22,000 homes.
It met with opposition from some villagers when it put forward the plans for Hoplands Farm.
Many expressed concerns about how “chaos, traffic and concrete” would affect rural life in the area.
However, managing director Mark Quinn said: “When we purchased Hoplands Farm, we set about working with the local community to create a development that delivers positive change.
“This includes an apprenticeship centre for Canterbury College and new facilities for the local nursery and shop.”
The population across the district is expected to increase by more than 30,000 people by 2031.
Redrow’s south east managing director Chris Lilley added that there would also be access to a doctor’s surgery and green open space at the development.