Kent could host the most cycle-friendly housing estate in England as part of stalled plans to build 4,000 homes.

Developer Corinthian Land says it will pump £7.5 million into a bike scheme at Mountfield Park, to the south of Canterbury.

The project - which has been delayed by a legal wrangle - will house almost 10,000 people across 564 acres.

Each home will be given an electric bicycle, with Corinthian hoping 13% of journeys to and from the estate will be on two wheels.

It hopes the scheme will later be extended across the city, supported by council-funded bike docking stations.

The firm’s managing director John Trotter said: “From its first inception it has been the company’s ambition that Mountfield Park will be the most cycle-friendly strategic housing development in the country and to achieve that, among other measures, we have offered to provide a power-assisted cycle with every home.

“We have long-held the view that as a compact city, Canterbury is ideal for cycling.

“However, we also recognise that there are some hurdles to overcome before more people are reassured that cycling can be safe and convenient.

“That is why our proposals include substantial investment in improving cycle lane continuity between the site and the city centre.

"We also recognise that for some, cycling from the centre to Mountfield Park may be, literally, an uphill struggle and for that reason power-assisted electric bikes can be part of the solution.”

In fresh planning documents, design consultant RGP - which stresses a “modal shift” between cars and bikes can be achieved - suggests Canterbury can follow in the footsteps of other successful schemes.

A six-year ‘cycling demonstration’ programme in Exeter, which heavily promoted bike usage, saw a 45% increase in the use of bicycles between 2005 and 2011.

RGP says a more expensive £7.5m investment in Canterbury can build on current foundations.

But before any scheme can begin to come to fruition, the first homes need to be built.

Planning permission for the entire development was granted in 2016, but a long-running legal wrangle at the Court of Appeal has prevented a brick from being laid.

Earlier this year, judges chucked out an appeal from campaigners concerned about increased pollution, but the council is yet to issue a formal approval notice as it awaits the development’s air quality plan to come back to committee.

“Canterbury already has a strong cycling culture, shown to be evident in the Census 2011 statistics which show that it has the highest cycle to work percentage (2.8%) of overall journey to work data across Kent,” it says.

“This demonstrates there is a strong foundation of existing cyclists and their families, which suggests there are a number of cycling options even without the advantage of the electric bikes from the proposed development.

“The development would provide input and investment to further support the city as a whole and could become the catalyst to a successful bike share scheme across the city.”

About 300 homes are planned each year at Mountfield Park, with all 4,000 being completed beyond 2033.

As well as the new houses, the huge scheme would come with a new slip-road off the A2, two primary schools, 1,000-space park and ride, shops, restaurants, petrol station and health centres.

But the development is yet to gain much support, with campaigners continuing to speak out against the plans to build on the picturesque countryside.

Andrew Hopkins believes the scheme will “will almost certainly be the downfall” of Canterbury.

Commenting on the council planning portal, he said: “There simply aren’t enough jobs, schools, doctors, hospitals, roads, drainage, power to sustain this level of expansion to the city.

“The city is already overburdened with the council complaining of funding shortages.

"If the council were to receive an editorial £9m per year in council taxes from this project this would still not produce enough recent to scratch the surface with regard to solving current issues.”

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