More than 150 objections have been made in just three weeks against controversial plans to build houses on a horse field.

The first came five days after the planning application for 23 properties was put in for open space, known as Fairfield, off St Edmunds Road in Great Mongeham, near Deal.

Canterbury-based Clague Architects is seeking permission from Dover District Council (DDC) for 16 self-build homes and seven affordable properties on a site they describe as a “sustainable location”.

But one of the latest of the 156 protest comments was from Peter Esposito.

He said on DDC’s planning portal: “This green space has remained undisturbed since the early 1960s, with the cessation of ploughing, and now provides a place of outstanding tranquillity that shelters the village from the hectic everyday life around us.

“Photographic evidence shows that this unspoilt area supports various forms of wildlife which should be nurtured and protected against the ever-increasing concreting of our treasured countryside.

“Fairfield also is an integral part of a well-used network of local footpaths.”

Rebecca Marsh agreed, saying “it's distressing to hear of yet more building and over development on the important green spaces around Great Mongeham village”.

“Not only does Fairfield have community value for residents and immediate neighbours but also the biodiversity habitat for much wildlife, including grazing horses, will be ruined,” she added.

“Before long we will be robbed of all these precious spaces which make the countryside surrounding Deal so pleasant.”

Gillian Pollard listed the wildlife on the site as squirrels, foxes, hedgehogs, badgers, voles, pheasants, owls, sparrowhawks, buzzards, kestrels, jays, slow worms and bats.

Objectors also argued that services such as schools and surgeries could not cope with the extra families coming in and the development would also lead to traffic and parking problems.

Some also believe that the area is already overdeveloped.

Some of the protesters had sent multiple comments and only one of the 156 by Friday were neutral. None were in support.

The developers, who submitted the outline application on February 10, had held a consultation exhibition in Deal on January 24.

All seven locals KentOnline spoke to at the event were against it.

One, Paris Townend, who lives in St Edmunds Road, has now written on the DDC portal, stating: “Even at the best of times you struggle to access even your own house because of the road congestion.”

Another, David Harmes, said the St Edmunds Road junction with St Richard’s Road was already overcrowded with parked cars.

He said: “It is already very difficult to get out of the road, especially at busy times. I have personally been involved in and witnessed crashes at this junction. The increased number of vehicle movements will make this worse.”

Last month, Clague said it could have sought more houses for the 4.9-acre site but wanted to keep it low density.

The exhibition’s information boards had said that it was estimated the development would lead to 11 two-way road trips in the morning peak period and 12 in the afternoon.

It believes it would not have a severe impact on the local highway network and that it is likely vehicles would be relatively split in their direction north and south of St Richard’s Road.

Clague says that ecological surveys have been undertaken and existing trees and hedges on the boundaries will be kept.

In a further statement, the applicants state: “This is a high-quality low-density scheme offering much-needed housing – including affordable homes – sustainably located at the edge of an existing settlement.

“Settlements need to grow organically and proportionately, and appropriate windfall proposals of this nature allow for such contained growth.

“Following feedback at our public consultation event, to help alleviate some concerns regarding parking, we have provided additional visitors’ bays in our site.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

“That would be to relieve the on-street parking issues that residents have at the moment.

“A full transport statement has been submitted with the application which will consider the impact on traffic movements and local roads and demonstrate that the impact on the road network would be acceptable.

“The current gate into the site is narrower than the access road but this would be removed to form the new entrance into the site and a full width road created within the site.”