The first phase of works to create a new junction for a 750-home housing estate is expected to take a month-and-a-half to complete.

Taylor Wimpey's Knights Reach development in Stone, near Dartford, will see new junctions created from Watling Street and London Road to access the site, which will be controlled by traffic lights.

The site, off Watling Street, has been granted outline planning permission by Dartford council.

Some 24% of the homes will be affordable housing and there will be a mix of two, two-and-a-half (living accommodation in the roof), three and four-storey dwellings with 1,386 parking spaces.

The development will include a spine road linking Watling Street with London Road.

A continuous footpath will be created in Watling Street, which will aim to provide better links to bus stops.

The development will also provide better connection through Stone with additional footpaths connecting via the southern end of the allotments through the new development and into Stone Recreation Ground.

Developers say 30% of the site will be open space making it "a mid-density scheme" based on hectares per property.

The first phase of the works began on Monday (October 9) and are due to last until mid-December.

They involve a new “bellmouth” entrance to the development being created from Watling Street.

The works have been split into two phases to minimise disruption to residents and the second phase is due to begin in spring 2024.

When Taylor Wimpey held a public exhibition on August 15, 2022, there was backlash from neighbours angry at the proposals.

Council members also raised a number of points at a presentation in December, which the building firm addressed.

A Taylor Wimpey spokesman said: “The first phase of works to create a permanent access from Watling Street to our Knights Reach development began this week and is due to run until mid-December 2023.

“These works have been approved by the local highways authority and we will aim to keep disruption to a minimum.

“We would like to thank residents in advance for their patience and co-operation.”