Two massive developments are being weighed up for land off the busy A249 at Detling Hill.

Quinn Estates has put forward different scenarios for 155 acres next to the Kent Showground, one of which is for 1,750 homes.

The site, at Binbury Park, in Bimbury Lane, is mainly arable farmland and wooded areas but also includes the former RAF Detling airfield which closed in 1958 and the Detling Aerodrome Industrial Estate.

The first plan earmarks the site for 1,750 homes, 1.2 million sq ft of commercial space – the equivalent of 168 football pitches – a primary school and a pub.

The second proposes 350 houses and 2 million sq ft of businesses, or 280 football pitches.

Both include a hotel, park and ride, shops and improvements to the key commuter route. These include a new roundabout on the A249, and an upgraded entrance to the showground.

The Langley Park development being built off the Sutton Road will feature 600 homes, while seven developments planned along the Hermitage Lane will total around 1,200 properties.

The applicant for Binbury Park is consulting Maidstone council on the content of an environmental impact assessment (EIA). It is already set to include details of traffic and transport.

EIAs must be carried out on all proposed sites of large-scale development before any application can be submitted and can take into account such things as habitats, flooding and the plot’s history, which includes nearby listed Binbury Castle.

While a scoping opinion has been sought for both scenarios, details of which can be found at bit.ly/1750bimbury and bit.ly/350bimbury, a full document has currently only been submitted for the second proposal.

Cllr Lyle Cathcart, from Stockbury Parish Council, said: “The document submitted seems pretty comprehensive. As a parish council we cannot comment on anything until an application is submitted. Everything is up in the air at the moment.

“The site sits in the area of outstanding natural beauty and traditionally Maidstone Borough Council has rejected plans for the land.”

Is it Binbury or Bimbury? The nearby castle and manor ruins are called Binbury, as is the woodland surrounding them.

The development shares this name but the lane off which it will be located is called Bimbury.

Do you know why the names are different? Get in touch at messengernews@thekmgroup.co.uk