Developers hoping to build a new housing estate on the outskirts of Canterbury hope to "neutralise" its impact on the environment - by creating new wetlands eight miles away.

Gladman had its bid to build 85 homes on farmland behind the Royal Oak at Blean rejected by the city council in 2016, and is currently trying to overturn the decision through a High Court appeal.

But separately a complex issue concerning water quality at the Stodmarsh Nature Reserve has thrown another spanner in the works, and stalled many proposed housing schemes across east Kent.

Natural England says waste water from residential properties is filtering into the River Stour, causing high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous at the protected reserve, which is a haven for wildlife.

As a result, developers are having to offset the impact, so Gladman proposes creating a new wetland area in Godmersham, near Ashford.

The 21-acre plot off the A28 is currently a sheep-grazed pasture next to the village hall and opposite the Grade I-listed Godmersham Park - the country estate previously owned by Jane Austen's brother.

The plans have attracted half a dozen objections from concerned neighbours, and also residents in Blean who do not want the creation of the wetlands to pave the way for housing on their patch.

But Gladman says the plans, which include a pumping station, will benefit local wildlife and help lower the levels of harmful chemicals in the Stour.

A design brief for the application states: "It is proposed that the wetland will mitigate the impact of the residential development on that land.

"The proposed application site has been purposefully selected due to its proximity to the river and nutrient-rich water, where wetlands can be designed efficiently, as well as sensitively to the landscape.

"It will divert a small percentage of total flow from the Great Stour into the wetland area where it will neutralise the remaining additional load and provide wider ecological and water quality benefits."

Godmersham Parish Council is generally supportive of the plans, yet the Environment Agency has lodged an objection.

It states: "We object to the wetland creation due to the likely effect this will have on salmon and trout spawning grounds.

"Insufficient information has been provided to assess the risks posed by this activity."

Concerned residents fear the creation of the wetlands will "only exacerbate an already dangerous problem" on the A28.

They predict the wetlands will attract tourists wanting to view the wildlife from a neighbouring public footpath, increasing the number of vehicles trying to access the site off the busy main road.

Meanwhile, objector Timothy Bentley said: "I live in Blean and never expected to need to write to Ashford Borough Council to object to one of its planning applications.

"It is difficult to understand the effect of the mitigation proposed, in that the pollution expected to be produced at Blean Common is to be offset by pollution extracted at Godmersham.

"The merit of the proposed scheme seems dubious."

A decision on the wetlands plan will be made by Ashford Borough Council, while the ongoing appeal over the refusal of the Blean estate will be dealt with by the High Court.

Canterbury City Council rejected the application on a number of grounds, labelling it a "sporadic form of development outside the village" and "detrimental to the character and appearance of the surrounding rural environment".