It has recently been announced that Land Securities has signed a number of key deals to make progress with the Ebbsfleet Garden City development. Exchanging contracts with Taylor Wimpey with regard to the selling of 539 housing plots at one of the three villages forming part of Eastern Quarry section of the garden city development – most specifically, these plots being at Castle Hill. The deal then brings the total number of homes committed for the development up to a total of 1,500.

It is hoped that, once finished, the village at Castle Hill will offer 1,500 much-needed residential homes as well as ample public space, primary school and community facilities, and also a neighbourhood centre. In fact, planning permission has also been grated for the primary school itself, which will then see the Leigh Academies Trust handling the operation of the facility – predictions are that the school will open its doors for 2017’s academic year, with the contract tenders process already begun to best facilitate this.

It has also been reported that Land Securities has made an agreement for the sale of land within the Eastern Quarry for two additional villages, which are noted to have a total capacity of playing host to circa 4,700 residential homes. Of the remaining site, Land Securities will retain some 16 hectares across the western side of the site, which is then predicted to see use for complementary retail and leisure space, as well as assets to generate employment opportunities for residents.

The sale of the land will see ownership passing from Land Securities to Henley Camland, but is also provided on the conditional note of accomplishing revisions to the pre-existing planning consent, which both organisations have stated they will work together to accomplish. It is hoped that this revision will take the project one step closer to the overarching target of bringing 15,000 homes with the Ebbsfleet Garden City.