A huge development on land next to the Kent Showground would create the county’s biggest country park and more than 2,000 jobs.

The claims were made by Mark Quinn, director of Quinn Estates, who has put forward two scenarios for Binbury Park – a 350 acre site off the A249.

The first is for 350 homes, 2million sq ft of commercial space and a primary school, while the second includes 1,450 homes and 650,000 sq ft of commercial space.

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Both options feature a country park, hotel, park and ride and a new roundabout on the A249.

Overall, Mr Quinn says he has “a compelling case” to put to Maidstone Borough Council (MBC).

He said: “Current development is proposed for land near villages where there’s no infrastructure. That doesn’t make sense. Ours is situated in an area where there is pre-existing infrastructure.

“Highways England has pledged up to £100m to improve Stockbury Roundabout and we’ll improve junction 7 and create a new roundabout on what is a very dangerous road. Our development will save lives.”

Mr Quinn has no doubt the proposals will be an enormous economic benefit to Kent, too.

“This development will be a game-changer for Maidstone,” he said, adding: “The interest we’ve had from potential tenants has been massive, it’s insane.”

Quinn Estates also plans to unlock the Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is currently not accessible to the public, by getting a Chelsea Flower Show winner to design a 100-acre country park behind the Bimbury Lane site.

Mr Quinn said: “That’s enough space to build 1,400 homes, but it’s not all about making money.

“By the end of the consultation I hope we have more people supporting the development than objecting.”

The site is mainly arable farmland and wooded areas — described by Mr Quinn as “not exactly a Constable painting” — but also includes the former RAF Detling airfield, which closed in 1958, and the Detling Aerodrome Industrial Estate.

Quinn’s proposed environmental impact assessment for the site – which takes into account such things as pollution, habitat destruction and archeology and was submitted in June – has already been given the nod by MBC, with numerous consultees responding.

One of those was Kent Police, which has requested £155,074 to provide three extra officers, two support staff, a PCSO and Special Constable, a new office and one extra cell.

This is based on the residential-led proposal increasing the borough’s population by an estimated 4,270 and crimes per year by 243.

Kent County Council Highways welcomed the site’s strategic location, proposed park and ride and the potential installation of a part-signalised roundabout, which it hopes will minimise the impact on southbound A249 traffic. The authority requested a full transport assessment.

Bus company Arriva said a park and ride would be unsustainable, as would a new bus service, so it prefers an extension of the current 333 and 334 services.

However, despite the walk of up to half a mile to Detling Hill, which is ‘wholly outside the maximum suggested distance from the nearest stop’, a diversion into the site is not an option for the provider.

A public consultation on the plans will take place on Thursday from 5pm to 8pm at Detling Village Hall.

Proposals and comments can be viewed at bit.ly/1750bimbury and bit.ly/350bimbury