Plans for a new relief road and 142 homes near Albert Road will go before the district’s planners tonight (Thursday).

The full application by Quinn Estates includes a nursery, innovation centre, a small shop and a link road between Albert Road and Southwall Road.

Some residents and Deal Town Council have criticised the prospect, citing a lack of infrastructure at the former Park Avenue Motors site, which is prone to flooding.

In the long running saga over fixing the issue, Southern Water’s initial response in January was that it could not accommodate the needs of the development without additional infrastructure.

Increasing the flows into the wastewater sewerage system would increase the risk of flooding, so new systems would need to be put in place, the authority claimed.

In February, managing director Mark Quinn said new plans would go ‘over and above’ what the experts Southern Water deem sufficient, to reduce the risk. Two solutions have now been identified and Southern Water is working with the developer to find the best one.

The planning document states the development wont commence until a drainage strategy has been proposed.

A bid for £800k has been agreed from the Local Growth Fund to help pay for the infrastructure. The developer will pay the rest.

This will also include accommodating the extra demands on primary school places by the expansion of Deal primary schools. The developer would make a financial contribution towards this, among other services.

If the relief road is built, it will provide access to Deal Business Park via the new housing estate, potentially alleviating existing congestion and delays at Southwall Road and Middle Deal Road.

The meeting will be held at Dover District Council offices in Whitfield tonight.

DDC’s case officer Luke Blaskett recommends approval subject to a number of conditions including plans for water and drainage systems, and approval of the layout, scale and appearance of the homes proposed.