No Use Empty (NUE) recently supported local developers Willmarsh Developments Limited with a loan to redevelop a former nursery site on the outskirts of Woodnesborough, delivering an exclusive collection of six detached family homes and bringing a long-vacant site back into productive use.
The completed development, Kings Oak Drive, comprises six individually designed detached properties, including one three-bedroom home, four four-bedroom homes and one five-bedroom home. The scheme provides high-quality family housing in a sought-after rural setting while making effective use of previously underutilised land.
Formerly occupied by a nursery business, the site had remained vacant despite benefiting from planning permission for residential and commercial development. Its transformation has not only delivered much-needed housing but has also enhanced the appearance of the area and contributed to the ongoing sustainability of the local community.
Designed in a striking contemporary barn style, the homes combine modern architecture with traditional materials to create a distinctive rural character. Constructed using modern timber-frame methods, the properties feature a blend of brick and timber-clad elevations beneath tiled roofs, carefully reflecting the surrounding countryside. One home adopts a more traditional design, incorporating brick and hung-tile finishes.
Each property benefits from generous private gardens and dedicated parking, with the majority also offering a garage or double garage. Energy-efficient features, including high-performance double-glazed windows and doors, have been incorporated throughout to support sustainable, modern living.
Set within the picturesque village of Woodnesborough, near the historic town of Sandwich, Kings Oak Drive offers residents the tranquillity of a rural location while remaining conveniently connected to local amenities, transport links and Kent’s coastline. Attractive views across the surrounding countryside further enhance the appeal of the development.
The project demonstrates how vacant sites can be successfully regenerated to provide high-quality new homes while improving the local environment and supporting the long-term vitality of rural communities.
Steve Grimshaw, Strategic Programme Manager for NUE, said: “We are delighted to see the successful completion of Kings Oak Drive, which has transformed a vacant former nursery site into an attractive and thoughtfully designed residential development. Projects such as this highlight the positive impact of bringing underused land back into productive use, helping to meet local housing demand while enhancing the character of the surrounding area. We congratulate Willmarsh Developments on delivering a high-quality scheme that will provide lasting benefits for both residents and the wider community.”
The completion of Kings Oak Drive marks an important milestone for the site and further demonstrates the role that regeneration can play in unlocking the potential of vacant land across Kent, creating sustainable developments that meet local needs while respecting their rural surroundings.
