Details of a major new commercial park in Maidstone - on part of the site previously ear-marked for the controversial Kent International Gateway development - have been unveiled.

Clearbell Property Partners has announced the launch of LOC8, located off Junction 8 of the the M20. It bought the site last year for £5million.

Standing for Logistics, Office and Commerce at Junction 8, LOC8 intends to be up and running by September 2022.

Given planning approval by Maidstone Borough Council in March, it is expected to create hundreds of jobs when complete.

It vows to use the latest technology to be as sustainable as possible and will offer up to 106,240sq ft of logistics space, up to 17,179sq ft of office space and up to 36,404sq ft of industrial units.

Dominic Moore, head of asset management at parent company and private equity firm Clearbell Capital, said “Given its prime location in the heart of Kent, with great transport links and access to a large skilled labour pool, LOC8 will provide an ideal location for businesses and industry to attract the right talent and access global markets.

"We have already had a range of enquiries for space on the site and look forward to welcoming more businesses and creating many new jobs when we open in summer next year.”

The Kent International Gateway was a planned logistics hub and strategic rail-freight interchange. It promised to create a depot which could have created up to 3,000 jobs, huge warehouses across more than 250 acres near Bearsted.

It caused a huge public backlash with campaign group StopKIG set up to co-ordinate the fight. It was supported by more than 9,000 people and multiple groups - including Campaign to Protect Rural England, Kent County Council, and the 14-parish strong Joint Parishes Group.

It was eventually rejected amid protests over the loss of countryside, traffic concerns, damage to wildlife and pollution.

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