A former factory which has been lying derelict for more than seven years is set to be knocked down.

The Faversham News revealed last week that the site of the former Nova garden furniture works, on the corner of Graveney Road, at one of the main entrances to town, could be allocated for as many as 90 homes.

This week, we can disclose that demolition of the factory could start as early as June 1

Signs have been placed on the gates of the site by Kent Groundworks and Demolition Ltd announcing the proposal to pull the buildings down.

Members of Faversham Town Council welcomed the plans.

Cllr Peter Flower (Con) said: “My first thought is ‘about time’. That would not have been a good place for further industrial development in view of the poor links to the M2.

"Now that we have the Perry Court development putting industrial units where they belong, close to the M2 junction, we do not need to preserve the Nova site for industry.

“The question that needs to be answered is ‘how much housing can Faversham take over such a short period?”

We revealed last week that more than 200 homes for land south of the A2, 60 more homes for the contentious Love Lane development and 90 homes for the Nova site could be considered in the near future.

Swale Borough Council announced these three extra sites would be added to the emerging local plan – the blueprint for development for the next 15 years – after it was told in January that it needed to increase the number of homes it plans to build across the borough annually from 540 to 776.

These new sites are a reaction to the government planning inspector concluding that more homes were needed across the borough, with “proportional boost to allocations in Faversham”.

Cllr Anita Walker (Con) said: “The Nova site would be an ideal site for housing and I know at least one developer is interested. We will have to wait and see.”