Sittingbourne: Government steps in over housing plan row

The development is split into two parts.

Up to 7,150 homes, a community space, a hotel, a new rubbish tip, and primary and secondary schools are planned for the larger site surrounding Sittingbourne.

The smaller site, known as Teynham West, is planned to include up to 1,250 homes including sheltered and extra care accommodation, a primary school and the Bapchild section of a northern relief road – which is already in the local plan.

“The proposals are entirely suitable for the site in terms of land use, amount of development, access, layout and appearance,” said a spokesperson for Quinn Estates.

However, the bid has attracted more than 700 letters of objection.

Carol Goatham, of Farm Fields & Fresh Air, said: “Our sewage works are already struggling, we know that our GPs are already struggling.

“This proposal joins up seven outlying villages on the edge of Sittingbourne between Sittingbourne and Teynham, and there’s a rural way of life here.”

The housing secretary will have the final say on the plans and is expected to announce her decision by February.