Almost 270 homes are to be built in Stanhope following council approval - despite concerns over a lack of affordable housing.

The site of the existing Ray Allen Centre and former Linden Grove Primary School will house 269 dwellings ranging from two- to four-storeys.

At this point only an outline application, the principle of the development, has been approved by nine votes to four with two abstentions.

Major aspects of the Kent County Council (KCC) development include a 64-house extra care housing complex and a replacement for the Ray Allen Centre.

Among the homes proposed, 57 one-bed and 49 two-bed flats are included.

As part of the project, a replacement Ray Allen Centre and sports pitches will be built on the Oak Field next to the Courtside sports facility.

Part of the reason KCC is building the scheme is to claw back money already spent constructing the nearby John Wallis Academy primary school.

Financial contributions would have gone towards this payment before being invested in affordable housing - a fact which proved an obstacle to the Ashford Borough Council debate last month.

After the scheme was deferred at a February meeting, a viability report in May indicated it would not be possible to introduce affordable housing on top of other contributions.

Money could instead go towards off-site provision of lower cost accommodation.

Cllr Noel Ovenden (Ash Ind) asked for assurances that this housing could be within a kilometre or as near as possible.

Labour’s Cllr Diccon Spain said “something’s not right with the approach”, adding: “I don’t think we should be compromising on affordable housing.”

A council officer noted a policy provision in the event affordable housing isn’t viable, which he emphasised it was not in this case.

Addressing the viability report, Ashford council leader Cllr Gerry Clarkson (Con) said: “It does leave this authority in a very difficult place because if we refuse it on the grounds of affordable housing when they’ve gone through those hurdles, I think on appeal we’d lose because they’ve abided by government regulations on this.

“But I am disappointed, and always will be, when there’s no affordable housing.”

He called on councillors not to refuse the application because of the likelihood of a successful appeal.

Cllr Euan Anckorn (Lab) motioned for deferral and was seconded by Cllr Spain.

Near the end of the discussion - after Conservative councillors Neil Shorter and Jessamy Blanford motioned to approve - it was noted money from rising house prices on-site would go towards KCC’s claw-back regarding the school before affordable housing provision.

A suggestion by Cllr William Howard (Con) to add a condition for that arrangement’s order to be reversed proved popular, and it was added to Cllrs Shorter and Blanford’s motion.

This motion was approved, meaning KCC now has the go-ahead to produce a more detailed plan of the development.

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