What was once a green field is now a building site.

Our photographs show the stark contrast to the landscape now Vistry has begun building 250 homes on former farmland in East Malling.

Permission to build on Forty Acres Field was granted only on appeal by a government planning inspector, Anne Jordan, after Tonbridge and Malling council twice rejected the scheme.

There had been 621 individual objections to the scheme and two petitions each with more than 1,000 signatures, but public clamour was discounted by the inspector because Tonbridge and Malling council could not prove it had a five-year housing land supply – a government requirement.

Access to the building site is off Winterfield Lane. The 45-acre site consists of two large fields previously used for arable farming.

The inspector acknowledged the application would alter the character of the Medway Gap and spoil views for residents, but said that was all outweighed by the housing supply shortfall.

Building work started only a month ago, but already the character of the landscape has changed dramatically.

Cllr Roger Roud (Lib Dem), who represents East Malling, West Malling and Offham, said: “It is really disappointing.

“This was an active farm producing crops to feed us. Full of wildlife – bats and skylarks.

“Now it is just closing the gap between East and West Malling.

“Already there is no green space as you drive out from Maidstone to East Malling, Pretty soon that will extend to West Malling.

“And with the other proposals round about such as that at Broadwater Farm, soon East Malling, West Malling and Kings Hill will just be one conurbation.”

“We used to be the Garden of England; now we are its patio.”