One of Canterbury’s oldest businesses will make way for a sweeping housing development by the middle of next year, bosses say.

A deal is close to being struck for the sale of a huge area of land at Sturry Hill as plans to erect 630 homes on the outskirts of the city move a step further.

The site consists of a large plot owned by the King’s School and the 75-acre Greenfields Shooting Grounds, which has been based there since 1947.

And having already put an end to the firing of shotguns at the Sturry attraction, owner Tim Greenfield believes he may finally sell it to developers before June.

“I have agonised over the decision and have regrets that the people who come here, I’ve let down in a way by agreeing to sell for development,” the 73-year-old explained.

“I’m well past retiring age – that was part of the reason why I decided to do this.

“Another reason is, eventually, I think we probably would have had to stop shooting anyway because of the noise pollution, as we’re very close to houses here.

“I know that in the situation we’re in today, having the noise of shooting in a built-up area is not fair to those who live in the area. Our days ultimately were numbered.”

Proposals to build 630 homes – none of which will be affordably priced – on the land were given the green light by the city council in February, despite attracting numerous objections from locals.

Drawings also show that part of the £30 million Sturry relief road, which is expected to ease traffic through the snarled-up village, will run through the centre of the site.

Mr Greenfield says he was first approached by so-called promoters interested in winning planning permission to transform his shooting lodge into a suburb about 14 years ago.

Shortly afterwards, he struck a deal with firm Environ Design, which helped him secure the proposed development a place in the local authority’s housing blueprint, the Local Plan.

“The promoter won’t be building the houses, but they have done all the groundwork in getting it in the Local Plan, getting planning permission, and now we’re at the point where we can agree a sale,” Mr Greenfield continued.

“It’s not only our site, part of it is owned by the King’s School as well – so we’re splitting the amount 46/54 in their favour, as they own slightly more land than we do.

“There is a national housebuilder who has made an offer, and we’re considering that at the moment.

“Until that’s signed, we won’t have any idea of timescale really. But I’m expecting it to happen in the first six months of next year.”

The Greenfields shop – which sells shotguns, ammunition and country attire – is the only part of the business that remains open since the closure of the shooting grounds on November 27.

'Our members are sad, but they know all good things have to come to an end.'

Mr Greenfield’s grandfather Harold launched the business when he took over an existing gun shop in Upper Bridge Street 95 years ago.

It was flattened during the war, so Greenfields relocated to Dover Street in 1945. Two years later, the shooting grounds were opened in Sturry.

Mr Greenfield took on the business from his father, Alec, in 1988, before moving the gun store to the village in the noughties.

“The shooting side closed last month, as our insurances were coming up for renewal and it just seemed an opportune moment to stop it,” he added.

“Our members are sad, but they know all good things have to come to an end.

“We’ve been looking around for another shooting grounds site, but that’s not easy.

“I think the new shop will be very near Canterbury. We’ve identified one or two places.”