Gravesham MP Adam Holloway and his Dartford counterpart Gareth Johnson visited Ebbsfleet Garden City to check in on the progress of Kent’s biggest housing development.

The pair went to Springhead Park to see 110 homes being built by Countryside, and then popped over to Ebbsfleet Green where Redrow is building 950 homes.

Both were also given an update on the garden city’s first primary school, Cherry Orchard, which was given planning permission last year and will open at Castle Hill in September.

Mr Johnson said: “I was particularly pleased to see the real progress being made with the new primary school at Castle Hill, providing much needed places in this part of the world.

“The planning application was approved less than a year ago yet today you can see the entire building coming out of the ground and the project taking shape ready for an opening in September.”

Mr Holloway was left impressed by plans for the former Northfleet Cement works in Northfleet West, which will feature 532 homes and 1,500 jobs, and Northfleet East, which has been earmarked for a £35 million commercial centre at 600 homes.

“I was particularly pleased to see the real progress being made with the new primary school at Castle Hill, providing much needed places in this part of the world" Gareth Johnson

“The plans for Northfleet East and West will provide a much needed boost to this area,” he said.

“Not only will local people have access to good quality new housing and have the chance to walk along a promenade that opens up that part of the Thames to the public for the first time in 100 years, but they’ll also have the opportunity of hundreds of much-needed local jobs.”

Ebbsfleet Garden City was recently announced as one of 30 areas in the country to spearhead the government’s new starter homes scheme, meaning up to 635 homes could have discounts of at least 20% below market value to entice first time buyers.