Extensive groundwork is underway for a new housing development in Maidstone, where Vistry Group, in partnership with Legal & General Affordable Homes, is set to build 272 properties on the site of the former Tovil Quarry off Farleigh Hill.

The project will include 37 affordable homes for low-cost rent or shared ownership, fulfilling Vistry's planning agreement. Additionally, the development will feature 99 more affordable homes and 136 private sale properties under the Linden Homes brand.

The homes will range from one- and two-bedroom apartments to two-, three-, and four-bedroom houses, catering to a variety of buyers and renters. The inclusion of affordable housing highlights Vistry's commitment to providing accessible housing options as part of its large-scale developments.

Vistry Kent managing director Brendan Evans said: "Our project at Tovil is an example of partnership working at its best. The site is complex and has its challenges but working with specialist contractor On Grade Earthworks and Stabilisation Ltd and construction consultants Calford Seaden we are meeting those challenges with high efficiency.

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"The extensive work being carried out here is laying the foundations to transform this site into an attractive new residential neighbourhood which will provide new housing for the local area.

"And our partnership with Legal & General Affordable Homes will allow us to create even more affordable homes than required, putting the high-quality homes we will build here within reach of a wider range of people."

The site is a former ragstone quarry that was worked in Roman times but was mainly active from the 19th century to the late 20th century. Quarrying ended there in the mid-1960s and it was later a landfill site. From 2010 remediation works took place and landfill materials including municipal waste were separated and removed.

Since December last year, On Grade Earthworks and Stabilisation Ltd has been on site carrying out extensive work to get the land ready for construction. That has included modifying the soil to bring it to a usable standard, with this work closely vetted and signed off by the Environment Agency. The next stage of the work involves the construction of some of the UK’s largest green reinforced slope walls. On Grade Earthworks and Stabilisation Ltd expects to complete the enabling work in March next year.

During the enabling works process, which happens ahead of the groundworks, Vistry and its partners have also been developing relationships with the local community in Maidstone.

Following a pumpkin-decorating competition held with Archbishop Courtenay Primary School in Tovil, 45 Year 6 pupils were invited to the site on Friday (8 November) for a Halloween-themed experience. This involved dance troupe performances from students at Towers School and Sixth Form Centre and a ‘pumpkin smash’ event involving the construction site diggers.

Construction work on the new homes will begin in January 2025.