Villagers are opposing plans for a new children’s home - fearing it will lead to increased traffic on an unlit road.

Dozens have objected to a planning application which includes an extension to the property in The Avenue in Kingsdown near Deal.

It would become a home for four children run by Back on Track Children’s Services SE Ltd which is based in Walmer.

The company has three other such homes in the Deal and Walmer area, housing four youngsters in one and five each in the other two.

Resident Valerie Ashton said on the Dover District Council planning portal: “The Avenue has no street lights and no pavements. There are no amenities in the village to offer children in the way of entertainment and amusement.

“There would be many more vehicles going to Woodlands for staff, visitors and general deliveries etc.

“I don't think that such a narrow road can cope with the additional amount of traffic and would also mean more vehicles through the village, which again has narrow roads.

“The junction where the Woodlands part of The Avenue joins the rest of the road is very dangerous and is an accident waiting to happen be it cars or pedestrians.”

Kathleen Langford said: “Kingsdown has a minimal bus service and none at peak school times or weekends.

“The bus service at one point was going to be cancelled completely and there is no guarantee this will not happen in the near future.

“There are no school buses and the nearest bus stop for pupils is at Ringwould. lt is a walk of over a mile along a narrow road with blind corners, no pavement and no street lighting.”

Ringwould, a village in the same parish as Kingsdown, is on the other side of the busy A258.

Also commenting on the council portal, Philip Bunn said: “A children's home would require staffing 24/7. This would result in increased traffic at all times of the day.”

Application documents state there would be four members of staff employed by the home.

Some residents complained they had not been given enough detail about the application.

Carol Fowler said: “There is little information on how this change of use to a children's home would operate.

“There is no management summary explaining the age range of children, how many residents (both children and staff) who would be residing, presumably 24 hours a day, or the age group of children/young people.

“No mention of shift patterns of operating staff, which I believe would be a disturbance to a rural residential environment.

“There is no mention of what facilities would be available to the residing children/young people, what would they do or where would they go within a quiet rural village environment.”

The planning portal had 25 letters of objection by Tuesday.

Ward district councillor Martin Bates told KentOnline: “I have visited the location and share neighbouring residents’ concerns in relation to the impact the change of use could have on the surrounding area; particularly around access and traffic issues.

“Their concerns have not been helped by the presentation of an application which is so devoid of detail.”

He said locals needed a design and access statement showing how children would be safely accommodated.

Cllr Bates added a traffic management plan for the movements of staff, children and services within a quiet and secluded neighbourhood is required.

Back on Track says the general age group for the planned home would primarily be around 8 to 13. But it offers long term placements so some children will stay until they are 18 and others will transition into foster care or go home to their families.

The company last year got planning permission for a home in St Richard’s Road, Deal for vulnerable eight to 18-year-olds. It has been up and running for the last couple of months.

The company provides education, therapy and activities such as football, swimming, boxing and arts and crafts to help settle children who have suffered abuse and other kinds of trauma such as neglect, the loss of one or both parents and parents who misuse drugs or alcohol.

Sophie Seymour, director of care for Back on Track, said: “The need for children’s homes is increasing year upon year.

“We cannot specify where the children will be from, but our primary aim is always to keep Kent children in Kent to maintain schooling, family links etc. The process of assessing the suitability of children for admission is complex.

“We haven't decided a matching criteria for the children yet, this hugely depends on the recruitment of the registered manager and skills of the team.

“At our St Richard's Road site residents haven't had any complaints despite the many objections we initially had around the home and location being suitable.”

Clive Tidmarsh, of the application agents One Architecture of Tilmanstone, is handling the Kingsdown scheme.

He said: “They need a home and they are not violent or aggressive. These are ordinary children.”