Contractors could benefit from Kent housing project

Freelancers and limited company contractors working in the construction industry will be pleased to hear that they could benefit from a large-scale creation project in Kent.

An agreement has been reached by the Department for Communities and Local Government, local councillors and developers, which will see as many as 22,600 homes built over the next 20 years.

The homes will be built next to the Bluwater Shopping Centre in Kent, with the first phase of homes, which will be all 1,500 of them, completed by December 2013.

Contractors working in the construction industry will be interested to know that this huge project, which will be built on the Brownfield site at Eastern Quarry in Ebbsfleet, could create up to 60,000 new jobs.

Housing minister Grant Shapps, said, “This historic deal offers a double benefit to the local area, a commitment to improve the road network but also to deliver over 22,600 properties over the next 20 years – with the first homes set to be completed in little over a year from now.”

Colette O’Shea, head of London development, Land Securities, said, “We are pleased that a way forward has been found to unlock the potential at Eastern Quarry and we will now sit down with our housebuilding partners and press ahead to start delivering homes and jobs.”

Kent County Council (KCC) leader, Councillor Paul Carter added, “Getting this significant development underway and built out signals our continued intent to increase construction activity in Kent.

“We have real growth ambitions and this site signifies our intent to unlock the potential of the Thames Gateway.”

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