Publication Date: 16-10-2025 09:00
Bellway to restore historic building in Dartford as part of 93-home development on North Kent College campus
Bellway has acquired land and begun demolition for a new development which will deliver 93 new homes and restore the historic Kingsfield House in Dartford.
Cedarcroft, as the development is to be known, will comprise 65 private properties and 28 affordable homes on the western part of the North Kent College campus, off Oakfield Lane.
The project will see the housebuilder retain and renovate Kingsfield House and convert it into a collection of 27 one, two and three-bedroom apartments. The Lodge, a two-storey building previously used as a security office, will also be retained and converted into a three-bedroom house.
Other existing buildings on the 10.47-acre site will be demolished, and 19 new-build apartments and 46 new-build houses will be constructed.
William Weston-Smith, Land Director for Bellway Thames Gateway, said: “Kingsfield House and The Lodge are two attractive and historically significant buildings which have both fallen into a state of disrepair and could have been at risk of demolition due to their unlisted status. Their conversion into residential use will ensure their long-term future, while the sale of the land, which is no longer needed by the college, will fund future investment in educational resources.
“While the main part of Kingsfield House will be retained, inappropriate modern extensions are being demolished to improve the building’s overall appearance and enhance its prominence as a landmark feature within this new residential neighbourhood.
“Full planning permission for the project was granted by Dartford Borough Council in November 2024 and with the land purchase now complete, we have now started demolition work on the site.”
Kingsfield House was built in 1859 for stockbroker Edward Satterthwaite before being sold to social pioneer Madame Martina Bergman-Osterberg in 1895. She set up a physical training college at the site specialising in gymnastics for girls and young women and is credited with inventing the modern game of netball at the location. Her life is commemorated by two blue English Heritage plaques - one of which is at Kingsfield House.
The college continued to expand following Madame Osterberg’s death in 1915 and was renamed several times, most recently to North Kent College in 2015. Kingsfield House has been vacant since 2022.
All homes at Cedarcroft will have PV solar panels. Electric vehicle charging points will be installed throughout the development, and all the affordable homes will be accessible and adaptable for people with disabilities.
The new development will feature 4.9 acres of landscaped area, including a new children’s play area, while a number of mature cedar trees on the site will be retained.
For more information about the new homes at Cedarcroft, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway/cedarcroft.
