Plans for up to 300 new dwellings have been approved at a former army barracks.

The application was made by Homes England, the government’s housing agency which is marketing the 10.9-hectare brownfield Connaught Barracks in Dover for development.

The scheme was passed by Dover District Council.

The plans include a new road junction with the A258 at Castle Hill Road.

Dover Fastrack, a new Homes England-funded bus service, will also connect the development with the town centre and Dover Priory railway station for High Speed train services to London.

The development of that begins next April.

A Section 106 planning agreement will see £1.5m in developer contributions for local public services, including education, libraries, outdoor sports, and health and social care.

“The development will create much needed homes on a stunning historic site."

Cllr Trevor Bartlett, leader of Dover District Council, said: “I am delighted to see the plans for the redevelopment of the former Connaught Barracks approved.

“It has been a complicated site to prepare for redevelopment and I’d like to thank Homes England for their commitment to bringing the site to market. I am sure that the fantastic location will make it a very attractive offer.”

Allert Riepma, head of disposals at Homes England, said: “The development of the Connaught Barracks site will create much needed new homes for local people and provide important bus and road infrastructure as well as a green space for the wider community on a stunning historic site."

Connaught Barracks, near Guston, was completed in July 1913 and during the First World War was a base for soldiers heading for the Western Front.

The site was extensively rebuilt in 1962.

Regiments occupying it have included the Queen's Lancashire Regiment and the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment.

The last group of soldiers there was the 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment until the site's closure in March 2006.

The redevelopment of Connaught Barracks has been part of DDC’s Adopted Core Strategy since 2010.

A total 64 new homes are already being built on the site of the former Officers’ Mess at Connaught Barracks under a separate planning application.

The Connaught Barrack site also includes Fort Burgoyne, a scheduled ancient monument which has transferred by Homes England to the Land Trust in 2014.

The Land Trust is now working to restore the fort.

Read more: All the latest news from Dover