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Work to build new homes on part of Kingsmead Field is due to start later this year.
The news comes after Canterbury City Council announced the appointment of
Canterbury-based builders Coombs to carry out the project, which gained planning
permission this time last year.
The scheme will see 16 homes built in a mix of sizes and types of accommodation
with five of them being affordable and destined for families from the council’s
housing waiting list.
The remaining 11 will be sold on the open market.
Chairman of the council’s Regeneration and Property Committee, Cllr Rachel
Carnac, said: “It will be fantastic to see workers on the ground ready to build
homes that will make a real difference to families on our waiting list.
“This scheme heralds a new way of doing things for the council – building homes
ourselves rather than handing the land over to a developer.
“We hope it will be a real success and one we can repeat elsewhere.”
The new homes will be built on a section of Kingsmead Field close to the
existing Kingsbrook Park development. Originally, the council had plans to build
on the whole field, which led to a campaign by residents to prevent any
development at all.
But following discussions with the Friends of Kingsmead Field group, a
compromise was reached that sees only 20 per cent built on, with the council
seeking to have the remaining 80 per cent of the field classified a Village
Green.
Village Green status protects the land from being developed and is one of the
highest protections available in the country. An application has been made to
Kent County Council.
Cllr Carnac said: “We really appreciate the support of the Friends of Kingsmead
Field with this project and thank them for all the hard work they put in to make
this corner of the city an oasis of natural beauty.”
© Hawkinge
Gazette and Channel Coast News 2003 -