Major plans to build 210 homes on land adjoining a former colliery can now begin after councillors voted through the designs.

The development is also for 2,500 sq m of office floor space and 150 sq m of retail space.

They will be built off Betteshanger Road in Betteshanger, Deal, near the old pit head and adjacent land of the former coal mine.

Dover District Council's (DDC) planning committee accepted the detailed plans last Thursday, having originally approved the outline application in 2021.

The development includes a three-storey apartment block and two-storey houses mostly three- or four-bedroomed. A total of 30% of the homes would be available under affordable housing schemes.

A total 15 letters had been sent to DDC objecting.

Some people complained there was no infrastructure to support this application, such as doctors' and dental surgeries, school and hospitals – although these matters had been considered under the outline application.

They added that the roads are already at capacity, without space for more traffic.

Others complained of loss of green space.

Resident Wendy Chapman wrote on the Dover District Council planning portal: "The number of homes is far too many, the infrastucture is not there.

"Water and sewarage will be problematic the roads cannot take the additional traffic.

"There are no GPs, no dentists, no additional school places and bus routes have been culled."

Diane Emptage said: "We are gradually losing our green spaces for walking around our towns. This area is well used by walkers. The pandemic highlighted the need for outdoor areas for recreation.

"Why are we now going to lose another area to housing that cannot be supported by the infrastructure in place?

"We struggle for doctors, dentists and school places."

Luke Jones said on the portal: "The nature reserves, public walking and natural habitat will be significantly and negatively impacted if this goes ahead.

"The local area does not have the amenities to provide for an estate of this size and this is in addition to further plots being built in Sholden and Sandwich."

"The number of homes is far too many, the infrastucture is not there..."

Council planning officers recommended approval of the application.

A report to councillors said: "The proposed scheme would provide a suitable layout and scale of development, with good quality landscaping and appearance of buildings.

"[It would] suitably maintain neighbouring residential amenities and provide high quality amenity for future occupiers and ensure a safe and convenience development in terms of transport and highways matters."

The application was from Redrow Homes of Ebbsfleet Valley, which had bought the land from Quinn Estates, which was the applicant for the outline permission.

Redrow's agents Iceni Projects said in a statement to the council: "The approval of this application will enable the delivery of new sustainable homes, which are highly needed and will provide a wide range of housing opportunities for new residents.

"The applicant is confident that the new environments to be created are of such a quality that people will aspire to live in the proposed development.

"Overall, it is considered that the scheme will be able to reinforce rural character and distinctiveness in the context of the wider development at Betteshanger."

Betteshanger Colliery, the last of the four Kent pits, closed in 1989 and the wider area now has a country park but also other housing developments.

Quinn Estates is planning 975 homes in nearby Cottington Park by the 2040s.

That development also involves expanding the neighbouring Betteshanger Country Park to include Cottington Lakes, creating what the developers call a green lung totalling about 400 acres.