Diggers have moved in on land set for a 725-home development as work on the highly controversial estate finally begins after several delays.

Housebuilder Redrow has started an archaeological dig at the ‘Large Burton’ development, officially known as Conningbrook Park, in Willesborough Road, Ashford.

It means the first 288 homes, which developer Quinn Estates gained planning permission for in 2020, could be ready for residents to move in as soon as spring 2024.

Detailed plans for the remaining 437 homes are yet to be revealed, but outline consent has been secured.

The phase that is going ahead also includes a new home for Ashford Bowls Club, a footbridge over the railway line, three hectares of new wetlands, a community centre, and a two-form entry primary school, to be called Conningbrook CofE Primary.

While work for the homes has started, it is not yet clear when the other parts of the projects will follow.

An application for the footbridge that would connect the development to Conningbrook Lakes across the railway line is yet to be approved.

Neighbours against the plans on the nearby Little Burton estate, opposite to where the new homes will go, say they wish they had been given more notice about work starting.

Sarah Kenny, 44, who moved in four years ago, said: "We knew it was coming but it has been delayed and delayed so we wondered if it would actually be going ahead at all.

"We had not heard anything and all of a sudden I was walking to the gym and a big sign advertising the development had appeared.

"I’m sad because we regularly walk around the Conningbrook Lakes and we regularly walk across the field because it's a public footpath.

"Where I live was fields once, so I have to understand that we do have to build new housing, but it just feels like there will be no green spaces left.

"They are building a school but there won’t be any more doctors or hospital beds.

"We are concerned the junction will be too close, making it even more tricky to get out of the estate."

Resident Leticia Santana, 55, is worried about the impact additional traffic could have and has been "dreading" construction starting.

"We knew it was coming so we kept checking on the council’s website but all of a sudden it has just sprouted and we are not happy about it," she said.

"We are worried about the traffic increase, the noise and that will probably go on for years.

"Environmentally it is going to cause a lot of disruption.

"We have a view of the fields which will be gone soon."

Also concerned is Carol Hall, who moved to Little Burton when her home was first built 25 years ago.

She said things have changed so much in that time, she is considering moving away, adding: "I'm anything but pleased but I’m not surprised they have started doing something.

"The likelihood is that the main road through this estate is going to become a rat run for people who want to go into town.

"We always strive to keep inconvenience to a minimum for local residents..."

"We bought this home in 1997 when it was a quiet little road and it has just got worse.

"I fully accept we need houses but I think putting it there is a problem because of the road.

"Trying to get out of here in rush hour is already an issue.

"If I could pick up my house and put it somewhere else I would.

"I accept things have to change and I don’t want to be a NIMBY, but Ashford has been swallowed up and the entire character has completely gone."

Plans for the development first surfaced in 2016 and feature two access points off Willesborough Road.

The project – which is in Ashford Borough Council’s Local Plan – was met with more than 1,000 objections before it was given the green light by the authority.

Quinn Estates was narrowly granted planning permission by just one vote three years ago, but the developers were held up by poor water quality levels at the Stodmarsh Nature Reserve outside Canterbury.

It meant they had to demonstrate “nutrient neutrality” within the River Stour to ensure no adverse impact to the designated sites at Stodmarsh.

Glenn Holliday, head of technical for Redrow, says the "current activity is centred around the archaeology investigation" required as part of the planning conditions.

“We always strive to keep inconvenience to a minimum for local residents and businesses and we will continue to work with the local council and community to ensure works cause as little disruption as possible," he added.