It has been plagued by successive delays but those waiting for progress on the development of Gravesend’s Heritage Quarter can expect an announcement this month.

The multimillion-pound project aims to transform the town with 330 eco-friendly homes, shops and restaurants, a 50-bedroom hotel, underground parking and public gardens, with the first phase set to focus on the area between Queen Street and the High Street, and next to Gravesend Borough Market.

Challenges to development have repeatedly delayed the project, which had been due to start last year, and when the project website disappeared recently some speculated it might never come to fruition.

Not so, say developers Edinburgh House. The collapse of the website was simply a technical glitch, and a spokeswoman said residents could expect news at the end of January.

“We should have some definitive news in the development process at the end of the month,” she said.

“We should be able to tell you about the future of the project and what’s going to happen.”

Lacking in detail it may be, but those words will come as a relief to those who believe Gravesend is being left behind the rest of north Kent and losing out commercially to Bluewater.

After a few false stars Edinburgh House is naturally reluctant to make assurances on dates, but the announcement might suggest 2017 is the year work finally begins.

Edinburgh House has previously sent out assurances that a work is being done behind the scenes with Kent County Council and highways teams.

Last year a High Court Judge ruled in favour of Gravesham council’s planning processes, enabling the £120m regeneration scheme to go ahead.