A multi-million-pound riverside project has been recognised for its “promising start” as construction marks its halfway point.

Rochester Riverside has been shortlisted for the prestigious development award “Place in Progress” at The Pineapples awards.

Work began on the 1,400-home scheme, by Countryside Homes and Hyde Group, in partnership with Medway Council and Homes England, in 2018 and is expected to take around 12 years to complete.

Construction on the third phase of the £419 million development, known as Parkside Quarter, recently finished and 502 homes, a plaza, a walkway, a Travelodge, Costa and a Co-Op have already been built.

Rochester Riverside C of E Primary School also opened last September after being delayed for a year because of financial problems with the building contractor.

Associate development director for Countryside Homes, Alex Hodge, said: “Rochester Riverside is a vibrant new location in Kent, providing much-needed new homes and community facilities in a stunning riverside setting, and it is great that the scheme is receiving this well-deserved recognition.

“We are honoured to be in the running for a coveted Pineapple Award, which recognises projects making a positive social, environmental and economic impact.

“Celebrating placemaking is important to our industry and serves to inspire other schemes which can deliver a host of benefits to local communities by creating new neighbourhoods which are great places to live, work and play.”

Hyde’s development and sales director, Steven Morrice, added: “We have already seen the positive impact Rochester Riverside is having, giving more Medway people a home, so it is great to be recognised.

“With a quarter of the homes being affordable, we are making a real difference to the availability of housing in the area.”

Rochester Riverside is nominated for the Place in Progress category, which recognises places which have made a promising start on their journey to completion.

The Pineapples awards are in their 6th year, having launched in 2019 and grown to recognise excellence in every stage of the development, design and delivery of placemaking, from community engagement to “Place of the Year”.

The winners will be announced on May 16.