A house builder has been given planning permission to build a new South East headquarters on the site of a new garden city.

Redrow Homes will build a two-storey office in Ebbsfeet, where it has approval to build about 950 homes and a new primary school.

The office will be home to about 70 staff in its South East division, which already employs 165 people.

The company, which has an annual turnover of £1.4 billion, aims to build 550 homes and launch seven new developments in the region over the next financial year.

Building work is already underway at the firm’s Ebbsfleet Green development, where the first phase will feature 180 homes.

“Ebbsfleet Garden City offers a more strategic location for our business as we will be ideally placed to build on our presence across Kent and beyond..." - Chris Lilley, Redrow Homes

Chris Lilley, managing director of Redrow Homes South East, said: “Ebbsfleet Garden City offers a more strategic location for our business as we will be ideally placed to build on our presence across Kent and beyond.

“We are proud to be a part of the burgeoning Ebbsfleet Garden City and have a long held commitment to the project’s success, not only through delivering much needed new homes in the South East, but by bringing about a new community.”

Paul Spooner, interim chief executive of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, the planning authority for the new garden city, said: “We are delighted that Redrow has seen the enormous potential of relocating its regional headquarters to Ebbsfleet Garden City.

“Redrow clearly sees the benefits the location brings and we look forward to welcoming more business.”