The biggest housing development in Canterbury for decades has been drawn up – promising a vibrant, self-sufficient community on the edge of the city.

Plans show a huge 800-home housing estate called New Thanington which will also feature:

* 600-space park and ride site

* New primary school

* Business park creating 700 jobs

* Care Home

* Community Centre

* New slip road onto the A2

But already it has run into opposition from residents who complained at a public meeting this week that it would bring traffic chaos to the area.

The scheme is on farmland owned by Pentland Homes at the rear of the existing Thanington estate, which already has planning permission for a golf course.

The house builder has teamed up with office accommodation developer Mark Quinn to design the scheme.

A previous, albeit much larger housing estate proposed for the site, was removed from the Local Plan in 2010.

The developers say they have gone back to the drawing board and produced a smaller scheme which will bring numerous benefits to the Thanington area.

But they were given a grilling from residents about the traffic implications of the scheme in an already congested area when they revealed the plans at a public meeting in Thanington on Monday night.

Parish council chairman Graham Page said the road network would not be able to cope.

He added: "I fail to see how it will improve the quality of life for those who live in Thanington. It shouldn't be allowed now or in the future."

Other speakers also raised fears about the increased traffic congestion the development would bring and the extra pressure on the drainage system.

Mr Quinn said: "We are very early in the process but I can't pretend it won't have an impact, although I do believe we can mitigate it."

He said the developers would return with a revised scheme in the new year.