The contractor at the centre of the controversy surrounding the Grenfell Tower disaster is in charge of the final phase of Park Wood’s multi-million pound regeneration.

Golding Homes awarded Rydon the £9.3m contract to build 56 homes and two commercial units at Wallis Fields, off Wallis Avenue, last July.

The work is the last of three phases which will deliver 200 homes as well as shops and new businesses and is costing £50m.

Rydon’s share includes 38 flats and 18 houses which will be built “to a modern design inspired by the Kent architecture, drawing inspiration from the traditional housing of the region including cladding, weatherboarding and render with a mix of flat and pitched roofs”.

Golding Homes confirmed the flammable US-made Reynobond PE cladding – which is suspected of accelerating the spread of the devastating fire which killed at least 79 people – has not been used in the project and does not feature in any of its properties.

A spokesman for the housing association said: “Rydon is a very experienced contractor and is performing well.

“We have no reason to suspend the contract. This is the only contract we currently have with Rydon.

“The cause of the fire at Grenfell Tower is not yet known. We will review our safety arrangements in the light of any recommendations made.”

She also confirmed the company operates a stay-put policy as fire service guidance, meaning tenants are asked to stay in their flats if there is a blaze.

None of the buildings at Wallis Fields is over 18m, with aluminium composite material cladding.

They therefore do not fit the Department for Communities and Local Government’s criteria for urgent safety checks.

On its website, Rydon – which has also expressed an interest in building homes on land off Albion Road, Marden – says: “Wallis Fields will be a much safer and more attractive environment.”

Rydon – which did not respond to requests for a comment – carried out the Grenfell Tower work for £8.6m, subcontracting the cladding aspect to Paddock Wood-registered Harley Facades for £2.6m.

Grenfell Tower, in Kensington, went up in flames in the early hours of last Monday.

While the cause of the fire is unknown it is believed to have started when a fridge exploded in a fourth-floor flat before rapidly engulfing the 24-storey block.

Meanwhile, Kent County Council is to carry out precautionary checks on more than 400 buildings it has responsibility for in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Although the council has no housing it has a large number of other buildings, such as offices, schools, libraries, care centres and other community centres.

These are subject to regular fire inspections but the council said it was to carry out a review and make additional checks.

In a statement, the council said it had “instigated a review of its assets”.

A spokesman said the council had a diverse portfolio of properties across the county, adding: “Kent County Council is not responsible for housing, which is a district council responsibility.

“We undertake a rolling programme of risk assessments to identify any unacceptable fire risks and undertake remedial measures where necessary.”

"The cause of the fire at Grenfell Tower is not yet known...we will review our safety arrangements in the light of any recommendations made" - a housing association spokesman

The government has asked all councils to check properties with similar cladding to Grenfell.

Maidstone Borough Council was unable to say if the flammable cladding used at Grenfell Tower is in use in the borough as it has “no duty to record this information.”

The authority also confirmed it does not have a list of all the tower blocks in the borough.

A spokesman added it will work with associations and ensure all properties comply with building regulations.

The authority, which does not own any tall buildings, is liaising with Golding Homes, West Kent Housing Association and all landlords which do, as Kent Fire and Rescue Service has brought forward annual safety briefings.

KFRS is urging residents living in high-rise buildings to make sure they know safety procedures but stressed tower block fires are extremely rare.

Asked about its emergency plan – which features no reference to tower blocks and only has half a page of guidance on what to do in the event of a fire – MBC said it is reviewed annually and is being scrutinised with the help of disaster planning team, Kent Resilience Forum.

A spokesman said the plan is “well-developed” having been compiled in the light of “good practice and the experience of major flooding,” adding that any authority faced with a disaster of Grenfell Tower’s scale would find it very challenging.