Property tycoon Fergus Wilson has announced plans to build 33 homes as part of a £25 million "exit strategy".

The landlord and multi-millionaire called the homes – around Boughton Monchelsea near Maidstone, where he lives – a retirement plan, but is expecting stiff resistance.

While official planning applications are not yet public, Mr Wilson confirmed outline details for the scheme, which would include 10 houses on land north of The Limes, seven houses at barns off East Hall Hill, and seven houses off Long Lane.

A further three homes are planned for land east of the Limes, with single homes planned in various locations including land west of The Limes, east of Boughton Lodge, west of Boughton Lodge, Long Lane, and south of Heath Road, while a further roof extension is planned at Fairview Heath Road.

The 74-year-old said he thinks the plans could net him £25 million, based on similar sites going for between £500,000 and £750,000.

Mr Wilson said: "I'm sure a lot of people will get upset about it because that tends to be what happens with parish councils up and down the country.

"They're against everything because they're conservative with a small 'c' and don't like change.

"You have to take into account that up and down the country there's a demand for property. Everything has to change.

"The thing is people have got to live somewhere."

Mr Wilson said the planned homes were mostly designed to be associated with "equestrian use", with stables and land, which he hoped would help win favour with planners.

He said that, while planning policy was weighted against development in rural areas, there was also policy in favour of recreational use.

"It's an exception if it's for equestrian use, so that's what we're doing," he said. "Around this area between 10am and 2pm all I ever see is ladies riding horses.

"If Maidstone council wants equestrian use they will have to have houses for it. The prime motivation is to get something sorted out before I cash in my chips.

"It's an exit strategy. It's an exit from business and an exit from owning the land. It's about retirement.

"I think it will end up with the parish council screaming and hollering."

Boughton Monchelsea Parish Council did not want to comment on the plans until they were formally consulted on the applications.

Mr Wilson, together with his wife Judith, became one of the UK's largest buy-to-let investors and the pair owned a 1,000-strong property portfolio at the height of their empire.

Back in 2014 Mr Wilson announced his intention to begin selling up and by 2018 the Wilsons were down to around 400 homes in Maidstone and Ashford.

The couple have generated gross sale proceeds of £40.4 million from the sale of 166 properties in recent years, with over £35 million of that in the past two years alone.