Residents from North Deal are protesting against plans for a sheltered housing complex in Ark Lane.

Dover District Council has received more than 40 objections from people living in the area who are critical of the “excessive” plans for 41 flats.

They are concerned that the proposal, by Churchill Retirement Living, constitutes an over-development of the area, and residents will be affected by a loss of privacy and light due to overlooking.

Stuart Walker, of College Road said: “The size of development on the site is excessive. While the council is looking for a minimum of 40 dwellings per hectare, the proposal equates to 118 dwellings per hectare which I feel represents a gross over-development of the site.

“The mass of the proposal is of concern. The development represents a large block of building, and although the architects have tried to mitigate this with gables etc, I do not think they have broken up the mass sufficiently.

“In the submitted daylight and sunlight study, it is confirmed that we will see a reduction in daylight and sunlight, but in this regard the reduction is acceptable. Our rear ground floor room is a dark room at present, and any reduction in light would have a negative impact.”

There are also concerns about the provisions for older people or those with disabilities with a limited bus service and narrow pavements.

Deal town councillor Peter Inch claims the pavement along Ark Lane is impossible to navigate for people using mobility vehicles, as the width is only 12 inches at some points.

"I have become stuck on kerbs on several occasions and have had to be helped when I could not move my mobility scooter.” - Cllr Inch

Cllr Inch said: “New residents are going to face daily difficulties with this narrow roadway at the junction with College Road and Ark Lane. There is a distinct lack of dropped kerbs in Deal and narrow pavements mean I have to use the roadway. I have become stuck on kerbs on several occasions and have had to be helped when I could not move my mobility scooter.”

This issue has been raised by another councillor Ben Bano in the past after an accident left him reliant on a wheelchair.

He said no dropped kerbs and hazardous junctions in College Road means older people will resort to car use and street parking.

This contradicts the plans for just 16 spaces at the site, as Churchill believes older people are less likely to use their cars.

An objection has also been lodged from the Environment Agency, based on possible contamination fears, because it was formerly a factory.

Churchill Retirement Living’s planning director Andrew Burgess said: “There is a severe shortage of suitable new housing being built to meet the needs of older people in Deal.

“Our proposed development will go some way to increasing access to this type of housing for local residents.

“Very few of our residents will have cars given the easy walking distance to the town centre.

“We are in close proximity to the town centre and its amenities, and our residents tend to shop daily thereby boosting local businesses."

He said future residents often move to these developments because of their central location and the fact it can reduce their reliance on car ownership.

He added: “The site already has consent for 14 family housing units.

“Our proposed development is of the same scale as these units and is actually further away from the boundaries, and a report assessed against BRE guidance shows it to be acceptable in terms of daylight and sunlight.

“Our developments are for independent, active retirees and the narrowness of a pavement should cause them no more issue than anyone else.”