Construction has started on a 42-home development next to a busy road.

Esquire Developments has put up hoardings around its new site, The Bluebells, in Hermitage Lane near Maidstone.

It comes after the plans were given the green light by Maidstone council in July despite concerns it would lead to traffic problems.

On site, work appears to be under way on the 2.52 hectare area with diggers and machinery present.

The location is just a stone's throw away from the town’s hospital, along a road which is often plagued with congestion.

When proposals for the site were submitted in April 2022 by Esquire Developments, it led to dozens of objections from residents concerned there was too much housing, which would add strain to the road.

However, on July 3, the planning permission was granted.

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In the design and access statement, it says the developers are “a multi-award winning SME housebuilder based in Longfield, Kent”.

The company has been operating since 2011 and builds around 120 homes a year.

The document adds: “Each site is uniquely designed and we do not have standard house types.

“Our homes are also built with high environmental credentials, and we have recently committed to all of our developments being fully electric – meaning no boilers in our homes and a fabric-first approach to the build quality.”

Head of sales and marketing at Esquire Developments, Alex Mattingly, said: "We are excited to be bringing our award-winning homes to Maidstone for a fourth time, after our development Millers Field recently completed in Loose. More information will be released about The Bluebells in 2025."