A 400-home development has been handed over to a housing association - which hopes to provide more “affordable” homes.

In 2016, Devine Homes was given the go-ahead to build up to 400 new properties in Whitstable on green space north of the Old Thanet Way, near Duncan Down village green and the Millstrood Tesco roundabout.

It also agreed to contribute £91,000 towards building a future park and ride in the town, and set aside land for 36 allotments.

Plans for the site’s first 128 homes - including 42 “affordable” properties - have already been submitted to Canterbury City Council.

But now, housing association The Hyde Group - in partnership with construction company Westerhill Homes - has purchased the land from Devine Homes Plc.

Hyde has confirmed it still intends to build about 400 new homes and hand over a large section of land to the open public space known as Duncan Down - which will become the Gorrell Valley Nature Reserve.

Hyde’s managing director of development Tom Shaw said: “I am thrilled that we have completed the purchase of this land and can start building more affordable homes that people in Kent really need.

“The scheme we are proposing means we can build a range of homes that meet different housing needs, while enabling people to stay close to their families or afford to stay in the area they grew up in.”

However, it is not clear how many affordable homes will be provided.

Hyde’s land and planning director Mike Finch said: “We haven’t yet decided exactly how many affordable homes we will be providing over and above those required by the planning permission.

“However we do have grant funding to provide more affordable homes, which will include a range of tenure options including shared ownership which will make home ownership much more affordable for the local community.”

He said the properties Hyde is proposing will be of a similar design and specification to those put forward by Devine Homes.

“We will be following the road patterns and approved overall masterplan for the site as promoted by Devine Homes but we will be using our own bespoke house styles,” he said.

“We will still be providing allotments, football pitches and providing more improvements to the Duncan Down Nature Reserve.”

The surprise handover happened while Hyde was in discussions with Devine Homes regarding taking over the development’s affordable housing.

Devine Homes spokesman Joe Fowler said: “They explained to us that they had grant funding from Homes England which would enable them to speed up the delivery of homes for both private sale and affordable rent with their partner Chartway Group.”

Conservative councillor Ashley Clark said he hopes the handover could have a positive impact on lower-income families.

He said: “The original application by Devine Homes proposed 30% affordable housing.

“Devine Homes had plans to build some four- and five-bedroom homes at the luxury end of the market, but now there may well be a greater emphasis towards affordable homes for families on a modest income.

“Obviously Whitstable is short of affordable homes, but what is meant by ‘affordable’?

“If there are a number of homes that do mean few more local people can get on the bottom of the ladder, them that’s very welcome. But the plans are still in the early stages, so it’s hard to say.”

For more business news, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Whitstable