It’s been well over two years since plans were first submitted, but it looks as though a new housing development of 106 homes is finally going ahead.

Penenden Heath Development Ltd first submitted an outline application for the land west of Castor Park in Aylesford in September 2021, but this month saw the company finally also receive detailed planning approval for the scheme from Tonbridge and Malling council.

The 3.4-hectare site is controversial in that it lies immediately adjacent to the land at Bunyards Farm, which the MERlin group is trying to have registered as a Village Green.

Access will be from Castor Park, a private road off Beaver Road. The site lies close to the former Park and Ride site by the Sir Thomas Wyatt pub.

Penenden Heath Development Ltd is building the homes on behalf of Sevenoaks-based West Kent Housing Association.

This is a change from the original application which was from Clarendon Homes. It means that all 106 properties will now be “affordable homes” instead of just the 42 designated originally. They will comprise 48 affordable rented homes and 58 affordable shared ownership homes, where the tenants part own and part rent.

The firms say construction will now start within weeks, with completion in 2026.

A total of 191 parking spaces are to be provided – an average of 1.8 per property.

The developers describe this as “an over-provision” which will “contribute towards the creation of an appealing development where parking concerns are minimised”.

Anabel Palmer is the executive director of development at West Kent. She said: “This is fantastic news.

“There are a range of energy-efficient homes planned for Castor Park, alongside several adaptable homes for residents with additional needs.

“West Kent is also investing resources into the local community by providing two new play parks, restoring a Second World War pillbox which is on the site, as well as making contributions to local schools and youth facilities.”

All the homes are to be fitted with air-source heat pumps.

Andy Shankster is a director of Penenden Heath Developments Ltd. He said: “We are excited to begin this partnership with West Kent and start on the Castor Park site in the coming weeks.

“The homes will be a huge benefit to the local community and our teams have years of experience providing excellent development services across Kent.”

In total, the development will provide 22 two-bedroom homes, 70 three-bedroom, four four-bedroom and eight two-bed flats.

All will be either two-storey or two-and-a-half storey.

The developers estimate they will house 262 residents.

West Kent was established in 1989 to accept the transfer of homes from Sevenoaks District Council.

It was one of the first large-scale voluntary transfer associations in the country.

West Kent is a not-for-profit organisation regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing. It now owns and manages more than 8,200 homes,

The development site is right on the border between Tonbridge and Malling council and Maidstone council.

The housing site falls within Aylesford in Tonbridge and Malling.

But the entry road is in Allington in Maidstone.

Existing Beaver Road residents are not happy about the plans. Angela Poletti said: “This should never have been allowed on traffic grounds.

“The highways assessment by KCC was based on modelling that was years out of date and took no account of other development going ahead in the neighbourhood such as the 840 homes at the Poppy Fields site.

“As it is, residents from the new Castor Park development are going to be trying to join Beaver Road seven metres from the traffic-light-controlled junction with the A20 London Road, where there is already congestion.

“How’s that going to work for them?”

Details of the development can be viewed here.

Search for application number 23/01522.

Should the Bunyards Farm Village Green application fail, a different housing developer, Barratt David Wilson Homes, has already submitted an application for 425 homes on the adjacent site. Details can be found here.

Search for application number 22/500760.