Work to build a new retirement community will also give young people a career in construction.

The Retirement Villages Group (RVG) has plans to build a 140-home development of one and two-bedroom flats in low-rise blocks and terraced cottages in West Malling.

The company has appointed Gravesend-based Keady Construction as the main contractor.

The development will feature a wellness centre, gym, bar and restaurant - which will also be open to the public - and will be styled to reflect the Georgian architecture found in much of the town.

RVG says the completed development to the rear of 237-259 London Road, West Malling, will generate around 40 jobs in hospitality, housekeeping and maintenance.

Its plans for an “integrated retirement community” have recently won the Homes England Exemplar Award at the Housing Design Awards.

Sales will start off-plan next year and the homes will be ready in 2026.

The West Malling site will join the developer’s list of Thrive Living developments which have the key characteristic of being located at the heart of existing towns or communities, enabling the over-65 residents easy access to local shops, restaurants, and cultural activities.

The company already has Thrive Living communities under construction at Chester, West Byfleet and Tunbridge Wells.

Duncan Matthews is the development director at Retirement Villages Group. He said: “Keady Construction has a proven track record and shares our ethos of putting quality and sustainability at the heart of everything.

“This makes them the ideal partner to bring this award-winning development to life, while creating significant local employment opportunities.

“We remain committed to building outstanding places for older people to live, at the heart of local communities, to the benefit of our residents and the wider area.”

Kieran Duggan, the chief executive of Keady Construction Limited, said: “As a Kent-based contractor, with our training academy less than 20 miles from the project at Dalefield Way in Gravesend, this is also an ideal opportunity for us to employ local young people and give them a new career in construction, adding social value to this excellent scheme in the process.”