Plans to build a 70-bed care home on the site of a former garden centre and cafe have been delayed.

The buildings in Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, were knocked down in May 2023 but since then, work has stalled.

It comes after plans were approved by Tonbridge and Malling council to build a dementia nursing home on the land in November 2020.

The home will be run by Barchester Healthcare, an independent UK care provider.

But the company told KentOnline: “We have had some delays with this home but we have worked through them and we’re hopeful that construction will commence again soon.”

The 70-bed home will be called Orchid Place and is due to open in 2027, the company said.

It added it will offer “person-centred residential, nursing and dementia care, tailored to the individual”.

The site originally had a detached house named The Hermitage, a small garden centre called Woodstock, as well as a cafe and cattery.

The new construction is set to be three storeys, with a lower front entrance lobby and 70 bedrooms.

In the past a spokesperosn for Barchester Healthcare had said the home was due to open in late 2025, however it is now expected to complete in two years.