Divisive plans to convert a derelict plot of land into a home for a Gypsy family of 14 have been thrown out.

An application was submitted in July to host four touring caravans, a mobile home and a welfare trailer on the former coal yard next to Pluckley railway station.

Planning documents put forward to Ashford Borough Council (ABC) revealed a local scrap metal dealer hoped to move onto the derelict site in Station Road with his wife and 12 children.

However, a rival application was launched less than two weeks later by the plot's owner.

Andrew Kirk, who lives in London, bought the brownfield land in 1997 and sought to convert it into five homes and a 20-space car park less than two weeks after the first application was proposed.

His submission meant two applications were left under consideration by planning officers at ABC.

Yet despite more than 70 comments in favour of the original proposal for use by the Gypsy family, the application was refused.

Planning officers noted the plans, due to their proximity to the station, would have led to operator Network Rail being unable to "safely and effectively access and maintain the mainline railway track".

Documents added: "The proposed development would domesticate the appearance of the site. [It] would result in a visually prominent, intrusive and incongruous form of development that would cause demonstrable harm to the character and appearance.

"The domestic intensification of the access to the site off Station Road, combined with the failure to provide adequate visibility splays, would likely give rise to conditions prejudicial to highway safety."

Even if the proposal had been approved, it would be down to the landowner to ultimately decide if any approved plans go ahead.

However, Mr Kirk has taken the decision out of planning officers’ hands and withdrawn his own plan - 11 days after ABC refused the proposal for the Gypsy family.

The site owner had previously told KentOnline he hoped to make use of the plot.

He said: "I have been trying to do something at the site for many years.

"So an application has been in the pipeline for some sort of use for a while, but there has always been an issue with access to it and its proximity with the railway line.”

Following his decision to withdraw his own application, Mr Kirk’s agent behind the plans, Trevor Gasson, explained: “The council needed to make a decision so we decided to withdraw it.

"It's not the case we put forward this application to negate the first one [for the Gypsy family]."

When asked whether it was safety, access or proximity issues which saw the proposal withdrawn, Mr Gasson replied: "There were a number of issues.

"We're putting forward a similar, but fresh application in the future which we hope will find favour with the council.

"We are now negotiating with Network Rail as we really needed more time to discuss things with them.

"There is no timeframe on when the new application will be put forward and I can't say what changes will be made.”

Many villagers previously agreed the site would better serve Pluckley as a car park, citing congestion caused by commuters forced to leave their cars in the surrounding streets.

One, Dering Close’s Michael Worrow, is among those who believed Mr Kirk’s plan would have been more “logical” use for the land.

"It's a much better idea for the site to be used as parking,” he said.

"It should help with the congestion by easing some of the pressure along Station Road and making it safer.

"Depending on how expensive it is, I'd like to think the commuters will stop parking on the roads.

“It's one big mess at the minute, with a line of cars stacked along there and lorries going up and down.

“We've all lived here for years expecting that piece of land to be for parking at some point because of how logical it would be."

However, Pluckley’s Melanie Condon says any form of building on the plot is simply illogical.

She explained: “I absolutely object to this proposal.

“We are the owners of the two lodges which would back onto this development.

“The access to the coal yard would be very dangerous to our tenants living in the lodges, which are next door.

“There will be many, many accidents putting any development on the coal yard.”

Pluckley station currently has one car park for rail passengers, with space for 50 vehicles.

Drivers using it have to fork out £5.40 per day, £22.90 for a weekly ticket or £873 for an annual permit.

Network Rail confirmed the plot was previously earmarked for parking and was going to be managed by National Car Parks (NCP) before an arrangement fell through.