Students taking part in a project to design a showhome took in a visit to the development site.

The North Kent College students visited the new Alkerden Heights development in Ebbsfleet Garden City for the project, which is part of Bellway's partnership with the college.

The task involves the students working on designs for a four-bedroom showhome and a sales cabin, with a budget of £45,000 to realise their vision.

The sales office is set to open this month at Alkerden Heights, while the showhome is due to open to the public in March.

The project was assigned in October when Bellway Kent's sales manager Yasmin Graham and sales advisor Jessica Reynolds visited the college's Dartford campus to brief them in person.

Technical manager Tom Jones has also been working with the students to design the layout for the new sales office.

Tom said: “This site visit gave the students a visual demonstration of the construction work we carry out to turn our designs and plans into homes and developments.

“On-site learning is important to give students a practical understanding of what they are taught inside the classroom.

"Having seen the construction work at Alkerden Heights, they will now be better equipped to tackle their task to design the showhome and the sales office.

“Since the students were here in person to see it all in action, they were also able to gain an authentic sense of the way we work in the construction sector.

"So, this experience will encourage them to consider a career in this industry with more confidence.”

Bellway's Alkerden Heights will feature 182 new homes across 11 acres of land, with 136 homes available for private purchase and 46 properties allocated to provide local people with affordable housing.

'On-site learning is important to give students a practical understanding of what they are taught inside the classroom'

Ryan Searle, one of the students who attended this site visit, said: “This trip gave me a physical and visual understanding of our project because it put into perspective how big the site really was.

"I was also able to take a range of photos to help me with my designs.

“Visiting Alkerden Heights helped me grasp the possibilities of this project and gave me a better understanding of the foundations of each Bellway home being built there.”

Another student from North Kent College, Murtaza Mahdawie, said: “We got an insight into each role in the industry. Bellway also showed us the process of building from the ground up which you can only witness in an on-site visit.

“During our time at Alkerden Heights, there was a lot to look at and take in. I also got plenty of helpful information for my Bellway project."