Judith Armitt was replaced at the Thames Gateway in December after only a year at the helm after a disagreement with senior civil servants and ministers over the formation of the £9 bn Thames Gateway plan.

Ahford is expected to receive £2.5bn of public and private money to create 28,000 jobs and 31,000 homes by 2031.

The Thames Gateway project is expected to deliver 160,000 homes and 225,000 jobs along the Thames estuary in east London, Essex and Kent by 2016.

Ashford Council is in the process of re-launching the delivery body as a legally separate special purpose vehicle in order to make it easier to ensure housing delivery.