A village is at loggerheads over a plot of land which could earn a £3 million windfall for the parish council and pay for a new community hall.

The Six Acres site in Preston, near Canterbury, was gifted to the authority as part of a separate housing development.

Now the future of the land is being debated, with it suggested building houses on the plot could bring huge benefits to the village.

The parish council is proposing the site is included in the new Local Plan being drawn up by Dover District Council - despite many villagers not wanting any more new homes.

But parish council chairman Tommy Gale sees it as a “golden opportunity” to fund a new village hall, which has been an aspiration for 20 years.

He believes the best option is for the authority to retain control of the land, rather than sell it to a developer.

“That way, we decide how much, if any, of the land is developed and what sort of housing it is,” he says.

“If it is fully developed we have been advised it could be worth £3 million. Even if we decided to only develop part of it, the value could still be enough to pay for a new village hall.”

But a petition against more housing, started by objector Mark Squillaci, has attracted 340 signatures.

Called Stop the Development of 6 Acres, it has been posted on Change.org by Mr Squillaci.

Ironically, he lives in the new Preston Grange development, which itself caused controversy in the village, but is through which the land was gifted to the parish council.

He says: “We are asking that the parish council consult with all the parishioners of Preston and Elmstone as to the ongoing use of the Six Acres and show the land as ‘unavailable for development’.

“Preston is a relatively quiet and peaceful village, which enjoys a rich heritage surrounded by farmland and natural wildlife. A further development of this type, coupled with smaller developments already agreed around the village, can only erode this further.

“Preston does not have the type of infrastructure needed to support further development with no rail links, a limited bus service, poor road network, no paths, limited schooling and no doctors surgery.”

Mr Squillaci believes that Six Acres could be used for the benefit of the community as a whole and become an asset, “rather than another housing project with no benefits to the village but all the impacts it will bring”.

But Cllr Gale, who grew up in the village and says he is passionate about the local community, believes the petition is a “blunt instrument” because it does not put the idea into context, and overlooks the huge potential benefits, like funding a new village hall.

“Currently, the land is rented to a farmer for £1,000 a year but has much greater potential value,” he explained.

“It has always been our intention to be transparent and keep residents in the loop. No decisions have been made and we’re listening and inviting ideas for potential uses for the land so we can form some sort of proposal going forward.”

“Currently, the land is rented to a farmer for £1,000 a year but has much greater potential value..."

So far the ideas have included creating a nature reserve, a solar farm project, relocating the village hall to the plot, creating allotments, eco-friendly affordable housing surrounding a green and even relocating the local primary school.

“There are some good ideas and others that are not viable,” says Mr Gale.

“I believe there is a potential compromise solution, although you will never please everyone.”

The proposals are expected to be debated at a future parish council meeting before any options are voted on.

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