Detailed plans of a development of 400 homes have been revealed, as they hit the market this Saturday.

Weston Homes is launching Langley Square, a new waterside “garden village” on the former Wellcome Pharmaceutical site, a large Victorian medicine factory.

The £90 million development on 7.6 acres of land near Dartford railway station, which was once the home of a supplier of remedies for explorers and the Royal Family, will now be two and three bedroom flats.

The area, formerly called Mill Ponds, will have a high street with 29,000sq ft of retail space, a large village pond, and green spaces with leafy streets.

Last week Rightmove announced Dartford homes were the fastest-selling in the whole of Britain.

In January people were camping outside Bellway Homes’ development in Priory Mill, Lawson Road, to get their hands on a hard-to-come-by new property.

Bob Weston, chief executive of Weston Group said: “We are delighted to launch Langley Square.

“It will transform disused brownfield land into high quality residential housing and commercial space, creating an attractive and enjoyable place to live. Langley Square is ideal for those looking to own a new home in a country village setting and benefits from excellent connections and outstanding lifestyle facilities on the doorstep.”

People can buy off plan at the on-site marketing suite from Saturday.

Prices start from £204,995.

In October, there will be show homes available.

The development will be built in four blocks.

Buyers should be able to move into the first one by the end of this year with the rest completed in 2019.

The site was first built on in 1852 and was home to Phoenix Paper Mill, with the large mill pond created to help power the facility. Wellcome took over in 1889.

Famous explorers who carried Wellcome medicine chests prepared at the factory included H M Stanley (African pioneer), Admiral Peary (first person to reach the North Pole), Captain Amundsen (first to reach the South Pole), Scott of the Antarctic and Shackleton.

In later years the factory produced medicines including insulin.

In its Edwardian heyday it extended beyond 33 acres, employed more than 1,300 people and relied on raw materials transported up the River Darent by barge.

With newer plants opening, by 2008 the Dartford factory was wound down and eventually closed by its then owner Glaxo-
SmithKline.

Once fully redeveloped, the Mill Ponds and neighbouring Northern Gateway will create a large urban centre, built entirely on brownfield land, providing 1,050 new homes, 53,820 sqft of retail and commercial premises, new cafes and restaurants and landscaped areas, children’s playgrounds and parking.