A developer has branded the reason why his plans to convert a former GP into flats have been gnarled up for three years “ridiculous”.

The scheme to create seven apartments in the Victorian-era villa in Canterbury was lodged in 2021 but work has yet to start, leaving the building looking derelict.

But Josh Maasbach of Roma Homes says the company’s hands are tied while Natural England continues to block new homes across the Canterbury and Ashford districts due to pollution at Stodmarsh Nature Reserve.

“It’s not just big developments that are being held up but even small ones like this, which is pretty ridiculous,” he said.

“I would argue the wastewater produced from the seven flats wouldn’t be much more than when it was a busy doctor’s surgery with patients using the toilets.”

Canterbury Medical Practice operated the former doctors’ surgery in Cossington Road until it was sold in 2021.

NHS bosses decided the building was no longer fit for purpose and the practice moved to Ethelbert Road near the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

Sandgate-based Roma Homes bought the site and proposals to convert the building into six flats were subsequently approved under “permitted rights” rules, as the property was previously a residence before a GP surgery.

But planning permission was needed and granted for a rear extension to provide a seventh flat, despite objections from the Canterbury Heritage Design Forum which branded it “overdevelopment”.

“It’s very frustrating that we can’t crack on with it and provide these much-needed new homes,” said Mr Maasbach.

“It’s also preventing jobs from being created, boosting the economy, with the trades that would be needed for the work.”

Some neighbours had objected to the conversion into flats but Roma argued it is more environmentally friendly to convert the existing building while keeping its Victorian character.

Neighbours are also concerned about the building becoming an eyesore.

After being derelict for three years, the site is starting to show signs work is needed while, recently, the developer has cleared overgrowing plants and weeds.

“It’s been a bit of a shambles,” said neighbour Joyce Schonn, adding: “The building really needs to be used again.”

But Mr Maasbach insists the company does not want the building to remain empty.

“Not least because it’s costing us money,” he says.

“Like many developers, we are just stuck in a waiting game but we do try to maintain the building and recently cleared some undergrowth from the frontage.”

The Stodmarsh issue has affected new housing projects both large and small throughout Canterbury including key regeneration projects in the city centre.

Both the Nasons and Debenhams redevelopments in the high street are delayed despite planning permission being granted for the projects.

Bosses behind the Debenhams site told this paper in July they are “still committed” to the “£25 million overhaul called Guildhall Quarter comprising 12 shops and 74 flats after it was first unveiled almost five years ago.

Meanwhile, delays to progressing the Nasons site have meant the site was put on the market for £6m after receivers were called in due to Setha Canterbury - the firm which owns the site - defaulting on a loan.

Major doubt has been cast on the future of the Bigglestone Yard revamp featuring a Brighton Lanes-style retail arcade, with a food and drink hall, public open space and 66 flats.

Natural England has told developers they must provide mitigation measures such as on-site wastewater treatment facilities or fund wetland and woodland areas to offset damage caused by harmful substances seeping into rivers and lakes.

The nutrient neutrality rules covering Stodmarsh are intended to make sure that building new homes does not alter the fine balance of chemicals in protected bodies of water in a way which will damage the ecosystem.

The previous Conservative government said it planned to completely do away with the neutrality rules and instead double its investment in Natural England’s nutrient mitigation scheme - giving the body £280m - but then in its election manifesto did not commit to further funding.

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The new Labour government says it is looking to “implement solutions to unlock the building of homes affected by nutrient neutrality without weakening environmental protections”.

A statement released earlier in the summer said: “What we’re talking about here is really a mitigation compared to what needs to be done to protect the environment into the long term, which is about investment in waste water treatment, to be thinking much more about green infrastructure, and to be thinking at landscape scale.”

A Natural England spokesperson said: “Housing and nature are not competing interests – putting nature at the heart of places to live helps both people and wildlife thrive. Where developments can demonstrate they can mitigate their nutrient increases, they are able to progress through the planning system.

“We are working with the government to provide advice, based on clear evidence, on how it can achieve its ambitions and environmental targets through sustainable development.”

The body says it will work with authorities to bring a long-term strategic solution to make it easier for developers to complete construction.