Plans to build nearly 20 homes on the site of a disused garden nursery in the green belt are set to go before a council for a decision.

An application has been submitted by Canham Homes for the development at the former Oast House Nursery in Ash Road, Ash.

If approved, the existing nursery facilities will be cleared and 18 homes with associated parking will be built.

Plans were first submitted in November and will go before Sevenoaks Council on Thursday, June 22.

The site, between Ash and New Ash Green, is in the Metropolitan Green Belt.

This means “inappropriate developments” such as new buildings should only be approved in “very special circumstances” – which the applicant argues is the case due to the need for housing in the Sevenoaks district.

The development would consist of four two-bedroom houses, 13 three-bedroom houses and an additional house with four or more bedrooms.

A total of 41 parking spaces would also be introduced.

A new pedestrian crossing point has also been proposed – while uncontrolled, this would have a dropped kerb and tactile paving.

If approved, the new family homes will be close to the A2, Bluewater, Dartford town centre and Gravesend.

They will also be within walking distance of New Ash Green, as well as bus stops which provide services to Longfield and further rail connections.

The closest bus stop, just three minutes’ walk away, has a number of school services including to Wilmington and Dartford, Hartley, Longfield, Southfleet and Northfleet.

In February 2021 the site went up for sale, with the potential for the land to be turned into up to 20 homes.

It had a guide price of £1.85 million, and with new owners having the option for residential development, equestrian use or a revival of its nursery roots.

Oast House Nursery features a plant nursery, storage buildings, a workshop, a four-bed detached house, stables, a number of glasshouses and polytunnels, and an open area of land.

Some of the site’s 2.58 acres of land was allocated in Sevenoaks council’s Local Plan for 21 homes.