Chancellor George Osborne has announced that an initial 15,000 homes will be built in Ebbsfleet – to be known as Ebbsfleet Garden City.

Ebbsfleet United vice chairman Peter Varney welcomed the development, saying: “This is great news for the football club as we look to progress and develop the club. Every city should have a football club and here at Ebbsfleet we are very proud of ours. We have no doubt that the announcement will see a growth in homes and new jobs, so hopefully plenty of new fans for the club too.”

The chancellor revealed the plans on The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning, praising the area’s infrastructure and the desire  among local politicians and residents in the area for regeneration.