Residents living in a picturesque part of Kent earmarked for scores of new homes say they are starting to feel like outsiders in their own village.

We sent reporter Joe Harbert to Wye near Ashford to find out exactly what neighbours are thinking, as plans emerge for another development in its heart...

If Ashford Borough Council (ABC) approves a new bid for 22 flats in Olantigh Road, it could become the fifth different development across 25 acres - the equivalent of just 20 football pitches.

But villagers say so many projects are now planned in the area their village “no longer feels like home”.

The latest proposal, set for a 0.9-acre plot on part of the former Wye College campus, has been put forward by Tele Property Investments' in an abandoned building formerly known as the Russell Labs.

The development, if green-lit, will see the old science laboratory demolished and replaced with seven one-bedroom flats, 14 two-bedroom houses and one three-bedroom property.

But Abbots Walk resident Amanda Bryan, who has lived in the village since 2017, says she is alarmed by another application being on the cards.

"Something needs doing to the college," the 50-year-old says.

"But of course how many homes are going to be built in the end?

"There's more homes potentially going ahead in Occupation Road which could change the landscape in the village completely.

"I think the college on the corner needs to be developed, but it's this continuous expansion I worry about because it feels like greed."

Work is already edging closer to completion on the main buildings of the former campus known as the ‘Wye College Collection’.

The project will see 50 new homes created, of which 38 will be through restoration and alterations in the form of one to three-bedroom homes and one five-bedroom property.

A further 12 houses make up the remainder of the ‘Collection’ and involve redeveloping four homes known as Squire Cottages and eight properties opposite the main campus in Wye High Street.

Work on all 50 is estimated to be finished later this year.

Founded in the mid-15th century, Wye College was once visited by thousands of students across the globe.

More than 900 studied the likes of agriculture, horticulture and the environment each year when it was used as a campus by the University of London.

However, following a decline in applications by 2000, the site merged with Imperial College London instead.

Yet Imperial confirmed it would cease teaching in 2009, leaving the site's Edwardian, Jacobean and medieval buildings empty ever since.

The proposal for 22 homes on the campus comes just weeks after a separate application was put forward in April for 11 properties on the second science building further along Olantigh Road.

Both laboratories have sat abandoned since the college’s closure 15 years ago, although the smaller development has been confirmed to be "considerably affected by asbestos".

But Olantigh Road's Christine Newport says the flats are unlikely to help those aiming to get on the housing ladder given they are all private homes.

"My main gripe is massive houses as we need affordable homes," the 70-year-old insists.

"The only reason I was able to live here at all was because Margaret Thatcher was selling off council homes decades ago.

"There's enough land with this space to be able to make plenty of cheaper houses."

Meanwhile, a further two planning applications totalling 60 homes are yet to be decided on – with 40 based on land behind Wye School in Occupation Road and 20 on the former ADAS offices further along Olantigh Road.

A public inquiry had been held into both proposals following an appeal from the developers at the beginning of 2021, with the planning inspectorate deciding to quash both.

Though the land was agreed as a good development site in principle – and that it wouldn't seriously affect the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – the report raised concerns over the scheme's impact on Stodmarsh Nature Reserve near Canterbury.

The protected beauty spot has been affected by wastewater run-off from developments across east Kent causing high levels of harmful nitrate and phosphate nutrients.

Both updated plans were appealed in 2022 and are still awaiting a decision.

In total, it means 143 new homes could be constructed in the village in the near future.

Yet with a current population of just over 2,000, homeowners say Wye will not be able to cope with the demands of more housing.

Mum Jane Flanagan, 41, says the infrastructure in Wye “concerns me a lot”.

“The village hasn’t changed hugely in the seven years I’ve been here, but it’s definitely on the precipice of changing,” she says.

“The number of developments, and potential developments, means it’s going to be even harder now to get a doctor’s appointment for me and my kids.

“With new homes being built in Ashford on the Wye side people are already being told their GP will be here.

“My child also goes to a school in Brook because I feel Lady Joanna [Wye’s primary school] with the two-class intake is just too big."

Meanwhile, Brian Baker, who also lives in Abbots Walk, argues the influx of people is now turning the village into a town.

The 84-year-old has lived in Wye since 1971 and moved to his current address from Olantigh Road in 2001.

"Wye has changed a lot to the point it no longer feels like home anymore," the former gamekeeper explains.

"Traffic on the roads is horrendous because of the schools and the Co-op hasn't helped things.

"The expansion of the secondary school means the roads are jam-packed with it going on for ages in the mornings.

"All these homes and cars aren't for the better, especially when some of these houses would be on the former fisheries site (ADAS).

"I just feel like an outsider now with people coming down here from London and having no understanding of the village's history.”

Yet resident Katherine Durio is one of a handful of homeowners who believe the village will benefit from the former college being brought back into use.

The 46-year-old, who has lived in Wye her entire life, says she thinks the development “will be brilliant”.

"The university made the village really multicultural when it was running,” she says.

"It will be good for businesses and will inject some life into the village and stop any crime given it is empty."

A spokesman for ‘Wye College Collection’ echoed Ms Durio's thoughts.

He said: "After detailed investigation, we are confident our proposed development will greatly enhance the local area and the community of Wye.

"The regeneration of the area replaces unattractive, redundant buildings on a brownfield site with much needed housing - ranging from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom homes."

The Wye Neighbourhood Development Plan (2015-2030) was approved by cabinet members of ABC in January 2013.

Documents said it was developed to "establish a vision, set of principles and policies to help deliver the community’s aspirations and needs" and that it will "become an essential part" of the overall vision for Ashford as "one of the key documents for determining land-use planning decisions".

However, leader of ABC and representative for Wye with Hinxhill, Cllr Noel Ovenden, says it should have been put forward alongside a supplementary planning document (SPD) - something which provides more detail about developments alongside a Local Plan.

The 58-year-old says the result has been a lack of vision being put forward for the college since it closed.

He explained: "So far what we are seeing is housing, housing and more housing for the college.

"There is nothing about business use or which could provide jobs and entertainment.

"So like we are seeing everywhere, there is development without infrastructure."

A total of 17 plots have been put forward for Wye with Hinxhill in ABC's “call for sites” list.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

This is a list allowing residents, landowners and developers to suggest plots they would like to be considered for development ahead of ABC's upcoming Local Plan to 2041.

Cllr Ovenden, of the Ashford Independents, added: "Wye is certainly a hotbed for development around this area.

"It is a place where developers will want to come because the houses will make quite a large amount of money.

"So we expected a lot of development, but is it more than we expected? Yes.

"Wye has taken quite a lot of housing in recent times to the point we have probably had a 10% growth, so it's important the character isn't destroyed.

"But are we a concrete jungle? Not yet."