People living near a beauty spot on the edge of Deal say the area will be ruined if a plan for hundreds of homes goes ahead.

Almost 100 objections have already been submitted by furious residents in and around Cross Road in response to a planning application submitted by Gladman Developments.

The firm wants permission to build 235 homes on fields south of Deal and next to Walmer with access off Cross Road.

It claims the homes, of which 30% would be affordable, would help Dover District Council meet its housing needs and argues there would be easy access to existing community amenities.

Residents say it would destroy the open green space, cause traffic gridlock and put pressure on already struggling services, such as schools and GPs.

It comes just weeks after another plan, for 33 homes in nearby St Richard’s Road, was submitted by ATS Estates Ltd.

Chris Wells who lives in Cross Road says it would ruin the area. “It’s outside the boundary of Deal and everyone likes the open space,” he said.

“The roads don’t have enough capacity as it is. I would also question the drainage as another development in Station Road which was agreed hasn’t gone ahead yet and I believe it’s to do with drainage.”

“Gladman doesn’t care. It just wants to make a lot of money by getting planning permission for the landowner and selling the land on to the house builder with the highest bid.”

Another resident Bill Sherren said it would completely alter the surrounding countryside and existing homes.

“The infrastructure could certainly not cope in many ways,” he said.

“Even if only half the new properties owned cars that would be over a hundred more vehicles.”

NHS South Kent Coast Clinical Commissioning Group raised concerns about pressure on services.

Chief operating officer Karen Benbow said unless Gladman made a section 106 agreement to contribute towards services there could be a number of risks including longer waiting times and even the closure of GP lists.

It would mean patients having to travel elsewhere to see their GP.

She said: “Inevitably, any increase in the local population has a knock-on effect in terms of health care and the CCG would seek to apply this section 106 contribution to meet these extra demands placed upon the local primary care health service.

“This improvement to the primary care infrastructure is expected to result in a need to invest in Balmoral Surgery, which is within one mile of the development at Cross Road.

“The investment will directly support improvements by way of increased capacity at the site.”

The cost would be £231,492.

Dover council spokesman Andy Steele said the application was in the early stages.

He said site notices posted by the council state the proposed development does not accord with the provisions of the development plan in force in the area.

“In this particular case, it is because the site lies outside areas identified for housing development in the council’s local plan,” he said.

“Inclusion of this statement in the site notice is a procedural requirement and does not indicate what decision the council will take in the light of responses to consultation and assessment of the applicant’s case.”

Jack Murphy, project manager at Gladman, declined to comment.

To comment on the plans visit https://planning.dover.gov.uk/online-applications/