Bold plans to reverse the fortunes of a former colliery village on the outskirts of Canterbury have been revealed.

Developers believe proposals for a leafy housing community complete with supermarket and medical centre will breathe new life into Hersden.

Images show 250 spacious family homes with ample gardens bordering a tree-lined boulevard, which is currently the busy A28.

Quinn Estates says its scheme would expand on the existing housing estate on the opposite side to create a “sustainable village” with bright economic prospects.

Crucially, its Hoplands Farm development would also offer business space and an extension to Canterbury College offering apprenticeships for the construction industry.

Quinn’s ambitious proposals are to be unveiled in a public exhibition today, with a planning application expected in the coming weeks.

Mark Quinn, owner of Quinn Estates, told the Gazette: “We want to create a sustainable Hersden. We want to change its fortunes.

“We’re offering high quality housing and a community which will bring jobs and a bright future.”

Quinn says its houses will cost about £250,000 to £300,000 for a three- or four-bedroom house, depending on size.

They would add to the existing estate on the opposite side of the A28, which was built in the 1920s.

A separate scheme from developer Persimmon, earmarked for the north of Hersden, would also see a further 400 homes built with a new 1,500-capacity ground for Canterbury City Football Club.

But Mr Quinn says it is his development that will make the radical difference for the village.

As well as homes, he offers a supermarket “three times the size of the Sainsbury’s at St Dunstan’s”.

The medical centre will be larger than a conventional GP surgery, while Quinn Estates is in discussion with a separate company to provide 15,000 sq ft of business space.

“It’s viable because we’re next to the A28,” said Mr Quinn. “It’s the only place where a supermarket would want to go.

“It’s the only place where a medical centre would want to go. And it’s the only place where businesses will want to go.

“No one will put these facilities anywhere else. This is why I think this scheme deserves planning permission, because of what we are doing for the village.”

He says plans for an outpost of Canterbury College at the site, offering apprenticeships in construction and engineering, will provide vital opportunities.

“Loads of young people don’t get a lot of opportunities,” Mr Quinn said. “What I’m doing is putting training where it needs to be put.

“More than 15,000 houses are being put in this district. It’s going to need builders.”

The Hersden stretch of the A28 would have £1 million spent on improvements to see traffic slowed, says Mr Quinn.

Quinn Estates will match any offer Persimmon makes towards funding a Sturry bypass, which is scheduled to form part of Canterbury City Council’s district development blueprint known as the Local Plan.

The Hoplands Farm site does not feature in the Local Plan, and Mr Quinn admits he will face a battle with the council to persuade it of the scheme’s benefits.

“We’ve gone for high-quality, low-density housing,” he said.

“We could have gone about this differently but we want to offer a scheme that’s sustainable in the long term.

“We want to create a community in which families want to live, which brings prosperity to Hersden.”

Quinn Estates’ plans open to public consultation today (Jan 15) at the Hersden Community Centre, in The Avenue, from 4pm to 7pm.

They will also be available for viewing and feedback at Westbere Village Hall, Church Lane, Westbere, between 9am and 11am on Saturday.