THE first sign of the re-birth of the Betteshanger Colliery site since its closure in 1989 has come with the opening of Almond House as new business premises - the beginning of a multi-million pound development to transform the area.

June, the widow of Geoff Almond, last miner to lose his life at the colliery, re-opened the building constructed in 1926 as the colliery's administrative headquarters. The refurbishment was carried out the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and funded through the National Coalfields Programme managed by English Partnerships.

It is part of a £18.8 million pound programme to use the derelict colliery to regenerate the community. The site will include commercial employment sites, a new community centre, a cycling centre and recreational facilities, all within a country park setting.

At the opening ceremony, Anthony Dunnett, chief executive of SEEDA said: "The coalfields project is about enabling people to take hold of their futures again when they have been marginalised and sat on. SEEDA have submitted the planning application. If we can get that through nice and quickly, come September the diggers will arrive."