A petition opposing plans for scores of new flats near a shopping centre has gained hundreds of signatures.

Bosses at Quinn Estates hope to build 234 apartments in six blocks on land at the junction of Romney Marsh Road and Norman Road next to Ashford Designer Outlet

As part of the scheme, they plan to lease a 29-acre site next to Asda on a peppercorn rate to Ashford Borough Council for use as a wetland park.

But campaigners have fears about the impact of the development, which has been dubbed East Stour Park and will see the apartments built on a flood zone if approved.

Dylan Jones - who ran for Labour in the local elections last month - set up the petition opposing the scheme, which was submitted to the council in May.

His campaign has now attracted more than 300 signatures.

Mr Jones said: “My aim is for the council to reject the application because it should be looking out for the residents it serves, and I think the residents will be detrimentally affected by it.

“There is no affordable housing so it’s not helping South Ashford residents to get on the property ladder.”

Mr Jones - who lost out in the Norman ward in last month's elections to Tory Jenny Webb - says he thinks there is too much development in the town.

If approved, East Stour Park will feature a mix of one and two-bed flats, with the six apartment blocks ranging from five to eight storeys in height.

Quinn Estates had originally planned to build a block as high as 10 storeys, but lowered the height following discussions with residents at a public consultation earlier this year.

They are proposing 245 car park spaces, with 104 one-bed apartments and 130 two-bed flats planned.

The site would be accessed by a new junction off Romney Marsh Road, with a second junction acting as an exit only point onto Norman Road.

Mr Jones added: “In my opinion, they shouldn’t be building on floodplains.

“Combined with so many other developments in the town, it could impact the wider Ashford area."

“I think there’s been generally too much development without infrastructure, not enough surgeries, roads, some people are waiting two weeks for a doctor’s appointment and kids are not getting their chosen schools.”

Developer hits back at campaign

Quinn Estates has responded to claims in the petition, saying it has taken residents' views on board after the public consultation was attended by about 100 people earlier this year.

It said: "The application will provide significant funding via developer contributions towards schools, the NHS and other public services and community facilities, with opportunities for this funding to be directed to local projects.

"The proposal includes a new pedestrian crossing across Norman Road, as well as mitigation to junctions to be agreed with KCC Highways officers."

The developers say Ashford "has a need for one and two-bed apartments as well as family homes".

They added: "It is envisaged the flats will be sold to individuals who want to live in the area, rather than built for rent.

"Following public consultation, additional visitor parking is proposed, as well as a parking space for every home within the proposal.

"If additional visitor parking or controls to help manage parking in nearby streets are required by the council, we are happy to discuss these matters during the planning process, however this is a sustainable location within a short walking distance of facilities.

"The recently adopted Ashford Local Plan states that within the town centre area, flatted development will not be required to provide any affordable housing due to the viability constraints of doing so.

"If affordable housing was required by policy then Quinn Estates would provide affordable housing, as we have done elsewhere and propose to do at the Conningbrook Park development in Kennington which includes 30% on site affordable housing."

Responding to concerns over flooding, the company said: "The application site is located within flood zone 3a and forms part of the defended flood plain.

"Due to the current bund along the East Stour River, the land does not act as it should as flood storage and has a better protection than the nearby properties to the west of the river.

"It is proposed to relocate this bund further in to the land to provide additional flood storage to the benefit of over 130 existing properties within a public open space, as set out in the application.

"Further, the site has been designed so as to allow for it to flood, if required within an extreme event.

"This is of benefit to the local community as additional flood mitigation storage is provided."

For more information on the proposal, search for the 19/00709/AS application on the council.

The petition can be viewed or signed here.

Read more: All the latest news from Ashford