A housing developer has bought more than 50 acres of land across two sites to build hundreds of new homes.

Redrow has acquired the areas in Ebbsfleet and Cliffe Woods, near Rochester which have planning permission for a combined 824 houses.

They are the 15th and 16th sites to be bought up by the housebuilder which has sites in Herne Bay, Sittingbourne and Hersden, near Canterbury.

The 25-acre site in Ebbsfleet has outline permission for 599 homes as part of the developer's 900-home masterplan for the area.

The land in Cliffe Woods measuring 28-acres is set for 225 new homes and has been a highly controversial development while it has been going through the planning process drawing opposition from Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst and the community.

Previous owners Gladman, which was granted planning permission last year, has now sold the land to Redrow.

Detailed permission for the development including appearance of the homes ranging from two to five-bedroom homes will be put forward to Medway Council.

A third of the site, located on the western side of the village, is set aside as open space and developers say the site is set to be surrounded by farmland and orchards.

It has also agreed a £2.8 million contribution to local amenities by a Section 106 agreement to support education and youth services, sports facilities and improving local transport and cycle routes.

The homes will be built from Redrow’s award-winning Heritage Collection range.

In Ebbsfleet, at the Alkerden South development, the company has added another 25-acres to build almost 600 homes.

Detailed plans for 230 one and two-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom homes are due to be submitted imminently, Redrow said.

Part of the Alkerden Village area of the 15,000-home Ebbsfleet Garden City, the developer says it will be built in a "parkland setting" and feature landscaping and biodiversity opportunities as well as new walking and cycling routes connecting the areas together.

Glen Wells, land director at Redrow South East, commented, “These new sites continue our strategic expansion across Kent and are the third and fourth site we have exchanged contracts on in 2021 to date.

"Both sites sit in highly desirable locations in the county, appealing to both local buyers and London relocators.

"The site in Cliffe Wood offers a rural location with stunning scenery, with an outstanding local school and strong amenities in nearby Strood and Rochester it is an ideal choice for families.

“Redrow has a track record of delivering high-quality and popular new homes in Ebbsfleet and it is fantastic to be able to maintain a presence in the garden city.

"Ebbsfleet is ideally placed to give residents a perfect mix between city and country living. The high-speed line provides unparalleled connectivity to the capital and homeowners can also access the Kent coast and surrounding towns with ease.”

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