Final plans are in for a divisive housing estate given the green light by a government inspector after a Kent council dragged its heels on making a decision.

Planning chiefs at Ashford Borough Council were drawing up a report recommending the development in Woodchurch, near Tenterden, to be refused amid a fierce backlash from locals.

But after the authority missed a deadline to make a ruling, developer Gladmans instead appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and won approval for the 40-home scheme.

Now, Cala Homes has submitted detailed designs for the estate on land off Front Road, including 16 affordable homes, with properties equipped with electric vehicle charging points, water butts and air source heat pumps.

The site would consist of one, two and three-bedroomed affordable homes, alongside three to four-bedroom houses for the open market, the developer says, with low-carbon heating designed to help cut carbon emissions.

Measures to support wildlife will include bird nesting features, specialist hedgehog fencing, bat boxes or bat roosting tiles and tree and hedge planting.

The development would also have a new public open space, a children’s play area and improvements to local bus stops on Front Road which are currently unmarked.

The company says it will also make £400,000 in contributions towards local education, infrastructure and community facilities.

Originally, the outline application submitted in July 2021 was met with fierce opposition.

Residents argued 10 homes was sufficient, but more would negatively impact sewerage and drainage, while proposed access on a blind bend could have caused traffic dangers.

They also voiced fears over potential light pollution.

Resident Keith Blackman commented in July 2021 on the council planning portal: “A total 40 dwellings, based on what is now the norm of a minimum of two cars per dwelling, means at least 80 vehicles entering and leaving the site every day, on a blind bend on a road where a great number of road users exceed the 30mph limit. It would be an accident waiting to happen.”

Neighbour Susan Garnar wrote: “Tractors pass up and down frequently, it is a bus route and a route that pedestrians including children take to the village school.

“Now this outrageous outline planning proposal is not just for a small linear frontage development, but for an in-depth estate of 40 dwellings.”

Woodchurh Parish Council was also against the scheme, citing concerns over the blind bend and the development’s size.

Ashford Borough Council was not able to make a decision in time so the matter ended up with the Planning Inspectorate, which finally ruled on November 3 last year, that outline permission should be given.

Its judgment said: “The traffic increase associated with these properties would not have a detrimental effect on the highway network.

“This would contribute to the Government’s target to significantly boost the supply of homes. Future occupants would be likely to contribute to the local economy.”

A spokesman for Cala recently told KentOnline: "We are committed to bringing forward a high-quality development which is sensitive to its village location, while addressing Ashford’s acute housing need.

“Our latest plans include amendments to address some local concerns, including improved access and pedestrian safety measures. We are also in contact with Southern Water to accelerate improvements to the local water network and sewage infrastructure, which were agreed under the outline consent.

“A third-party ecologist is involved in shaping our plans for the development and will oversee any required ecology works. We are proposing additional planting across the site, new hedgerows, and sparse bollard lighting to minimise light pollution,"

On the delays over making a decision, an ABC spokesman told KentOnline: “We had been in the process of preparing a report that would have recommended refusal of the scheme in the original planning application.

“The applicants chose to appeal before this report was issued, as is their right once the statutory determination period has elapsed (13 weeks in this case).”

The applicants had in 2021 been Gladman Developments, an organisation that makes outline applications on behalf of landowners and if successful promote the site to housebuilders.

The site was bought by Cala Homes this year.