An application has more objections than planned homes.

There were 116 letters against from neighbours over 100 proposed dwellings.

And one councillor has counted up nearly 500 already-built or earmarked homes in the same area of Deal and Walmer since last year.

Mill Hill ward councillor Joseph Burman told a planning meeting on Thursday (January 16): "There is an unprecedented number of objections, more than the proposed homes.

Walmer, Great Mongeham and Sholden Parish Councils and Deal Town Council all also object.

"We really need to take the level of feeling into consideration.

"I propose at least a site visit."

Councillors voted overwhelmingly for that, against a a planning officers' recommendation to approve the application.

The outline application, for farmland at Cross Road, Mill Hill, Deal, was discussed at Dover District Council's planning committee meeting.

Fellow ward councillor Helen Williams said this application added up to 496 homes planned for or built since last year.

This was for Mill Hill and its immediate surrounding area.

The other schemes were:

A total 223 at Station Road, Walmer, being built by Miller Homes between 2019 and 2024, with up to 50 a year scheduled.

Another 85 houses granted, after appeal, for Dover Road, a mile away from the Cross Road site.

An application for 88 houses on old school playing fields at Freemen's Way.

Cllr Williams said of the Cross Road scheme: "The objections centre around highways problems, lack of pathways for sustainable and safe walking and the amenity and character of the area.

"Local people complain a lot about lack of infrastructure and overcrowding of parked roads in Deal."

Local people are also against the scheme because it outside the Deal urban boundary, and would put more pressure to already congested junctions.

They add that local doctors already have too many patients, hospital provision is limited and there are already too few school places.

The one neighbour writing in to support the application argued that the site has a lower flood risk thatnothe previously permitted sites.

DDC officers had argued that there would be a great benefit from the extra homes in the district, including the 30% quota of affordable ones.

They added that developer contribution costs in areas such as education and healthcare have largely been agreed in principle.

Kent County Council's highways department also felt the scheme was acceptable and that the highway impact is not considered severe.

The land is owned by Richard Mackney Fuller of Church Hill, Sutton and the application has been put forward by planning agent Gladman.

It was not earmarked for development in the Land Allocations Document which informed Dover District Council's Local Plan for future housing in the next 30 years

In a separate development archaeologists had warned that the site needed to be thoroughly checked because it was close to rich finds nearby.

KCC's archaeology department said that an Iron Age warrior had been found buried in 1988 during preparations to build homes at nearby Walmer Way.

The Mill Hill Warrior's remains are now displayed in the British Museum.

A total 500 features had been found, also including an Anglo Saxon cemetery.

The council put forward a planning condition that there should be a programme of archaeological works for Cross Road.

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