A community group has started a crowdfunding campaign to mount a defence against a plan for hundreds of homes.

Trenport Investments Ltd has put forward a proposal for 250 properties in Church Street, Cliffe.

The Cliffe and Cliffe Woods Residents' Development Group has been holding fortnightly meetings – the last of which attracted 120 people and its crowdfunding campaign raising just under £1,500 so far.

Funds will go towards things such as a traffic survey and promotional signage.

The group has also begun the process to register the APCM recreation ground off Church Street as an Asset of Community Value.

The fields currently host football and cricket matches, and have two tennis courts and teams including Cliffe, Cliffe Woods Colts and Eagles football are said to regularly use the pitches.

Under Trenport's plans, the ground would be relocated to a new site off Buttway Lane so new homes can be built in their place, as well as on the field directly opposite.

The developer would retain Cliffe Bowls Club, which neighbours the APCM, and provide improved club parking.

The proposals also include a new community hub and a children's play area

According to documents submitted to Medway Council, the majority of the land is owned by Trenport which bought it in 2001.

Some group members met at the playing fields last week to discuss the plans, many of whom were concerned about the traffic on the B2000.

Reverend Jill Wright, of St Helens Church, said: "There's no plans for any more medical services, the school's are full here and last summer when there was a crash on the road, all the back roads were blocked and that means no one can get in or out."

Campaigner Robert Wyatt said: "There's no facilities here but people in Cliffe accept that.

"They accept there's only one and a half shops and no Post Office, and that's fine, but if you bring 250 people in, they're going to want things aren't they?

"This is not being 'nimby' about things, it's just saying it's ridiculous; you can't fit any more things on here without things bursting."

Ben Morling added: "This is not a brownfield site, and there's plenty of brownfield sites in Kent and even around this area.

"Okay, they own this land but this is used as a recreation facility, this is what communities need."

A representative from Trenport told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the plans would bring a number of benefits.

For example, a quarter (63) of the dwellings would be affordable and there would be a priority for these to go to Cliffe residents.

They also said there would be improvements to footpaths and cycleways, an improved bus service would be secured, biodiversity would increase by 20% and open space would cover 60% of the planned development area.

The company's planning director, Eilish Smeaton, said: "Last year we took the decision to reduce the scheme from the earlier proposal of 500 homes in response to feedback.

"Since then we have consulted closely with the community, which included a public exhibition held in September attended by over 200 people, as well as workshops, leaflets and other information sharing.

"We will continue to work closely with residents and the parish council at every stage."

The consultation period will begin on Monday and the planning committee is likely to consider the plans in July at the earliest.

Comments will be received up until the Wednesday before the scheduled meeting.