How the three major villages will look once finished

The site’s owner has sold 539 plots to Taylor Wimpey at Castle Hill, which is one of three planned modern villages in the 269 hectare Eastern Quarry development and forms part of the wider Ebbsfleet Garden City.

Ward Homes and Persimmon are already on site at Castle Hill, and this latest deal with Taylor Wimpey brings the total committed homes to 1,500.

Also Land Securities has gained planning permission for a primary school at Castle Hill, which will be operated by the Leigh Academies Trust.

The contract tender process has already begun and construction is due to start on site in the summer.

Castle Hill is the first of three villages with to be delivered with outline planning permission for up to 6,250 new homes.

East Quarry site (left) with Springhead Park area (right)

Land Securities has also agreed the sale of land at Eastern Quarry for the two remaining villages, which have capacity for 4,700 homes, to residential infrastructure and placemaking firm Henley Camland.

In addition Land Securities, through its Ebbsfleet joint venture with Lafarge Building Materials and Anglo American International Holdings, has completed the sale of Springhead Park to Countryside.

Springhead Park was the first phase of development in Ebbsfleet Valley and already comprises almost 300 homes which were developed by Countryside. This sale will see Countryside build an extra 500 homes on the site.

Tom Venner, development director at Land Securities, said: “Today’s news represents a significant step forward for Ebbsfleet Garden City.

“We are delighted that through working in close partnership with Henley Camland, Countryside, the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation and a range of house builders, we are able to facilitate significant progress in the delivery of new homes and communities at Ebbsfleet.”