Up to 950 new homes will be built on an old substation after Dartford council paved the way for work to start.

The site on the old Northfleet West Substation between Southfleet Road and the A2 is about the size of 50 football pitches.

In 2008, plans to build 1,500 homes were approved by Dartford council but work never started after the economic downturn.

This year, National Grid joined forces with Redrow Homes and plans to build up to 950 homes on the site were revealed during two public exhibitions in November.

The new masterplan covers the same 38.5 hectares (95 acres) and will offer two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, including around 140 affordable ones.

Permission was granted on Thursday.

The site is next to a 250 hectare (618 acres) area known as the Eastern Quarry, another area already granted permission to build up to 6,520 homes.

Redrow says that 30% of the site will be open space and include play parks, a site for a new primary school, allotments, a community hall, hotel, two sports pitches and tennis courts and a cycle route linking to Eastern Quarry.

The two substations and a number of power lines and pylons would be removed.

"We hope it will help to kick start the long-promised regeneration of the wider Ebbsfleet Valley area."

National Grid is close to completing the site clearance and remediation work, clearing the old buildings and equipment from the site, and will shortly hand the site over to Redrow.

The development includes a shopping centre with room for a small supermarket and bars and restaurants.

Developers say Fastrack bus services will be accessible via the Eastern Quarry in the longer term though the 499 and 495 pass the site on Southfleet Road at the moment.

Keith Parrett, regional chief executive for Redrow Homes, said: “Having forged a successful partnership with National Grid to reach this point, we are delighted that this exciting new development has been granted planning permission.

"We hope it will help to kick start the long-promised regeneration of the wider Ebbsfleet Valley area.

“We are grateful for the support shown by the local community during the consultation process and look forward to delivering high-quality new homes for local families and new arrivals to an area with so much potential.”

Work is due to begin next summer.

Ebbsfleet 'garden city' could be at risk of flooding according to Environment Agency report