Highway officials have not objected to an MP's controversial planning application to build a house on a "nightmare" road.

Villagers in St Margaret's Bay have voiced their stance against the scheme by Natalie Elphicke, who represents Dover and Deal, to build a new home in Bay Hill - close to a hairpin bend.

Some residents feared it would contribute to existing traffic issues there.

But, responding the application on Dover District Council's planning portal, Kent County Council's highways department says there is no record of crashes in the area and drivers typically go extremely slowly on the road already.

The letter from KCC Highways appeared among a number of written objections from locals.

It said: "The proposal utilises an existing access, and having reviewed crash data there are no recorded incidents.

"The access previously served a much larger property, which could easily have generated a more intensive use than the proposed use.

"This historic access has been in constant use serving more than one property for many years without a crash record.

"Vehicle speeds on the approach to the hairpin bend are unlikely to exceed 10mph and users of the access are acutely aware of the limited visibility and thus take extra care."

But KCC Highways said further detailed construction plans needed to be seen, to make sure they were workable, and parking arrangements needed to be improved.

A total 16 people and one local organisation, St Margaret's Bay Conservation Association, have sent in letters of objection to Dover District Council.

Four people have written in support for Mrs Elphicke's application.

Resident Marie McMonagle said on the planning portal: "It would be an asset and would not take up any more room.

"Why would people object to a small house it's not a supermarket. Give the woman a break."

Lesley Ann Burke said: "I visit this area often and think that this thoughtful development will enhance the area.

"It has been well thought out and is a good design and in keeping with the surrounding properties."

The plan for the 151sqm site, called The Ledge, is to knock down an existing garage and replace it with a cottage, keeping the two parking spaces and adding two cycle ones.

The garage covers 40sqm, is single-storey and has rooms in the roofspace. The house would take 44sqm.

But the building would be 18m from a blind hairpin bend and objectors fear it would lead to further traffic chaos and danger on the narrow road.

Villager Jenny Whitaker told KentOnline last week: "When two cars meet on the bend one usually has to reverse blind. It's also a steep gradient.

"The road is getting busier, traffic is just a nightmare, sometimes nose to nose."

Mrs Elphicke defended plans for the project, saying the new home "would fit in really well" in the area.

She told KentOnline: “From kayaking in the Bay to walking along the White Cliffs, everyone knows St Margaret’s Bay has been my home over many years.

“I have made a planning application to convert my garage into a small two-bedroom home.

"It would still have its own parking, as it does now. No changes are proposed to the highways access arrangements, which have worked well for over 60 years.

“It’s a brownfield site and places like this should be used ahead of building on green fields.

“I think it would fit in really well in the Bay - but that’s up to the council. It's absolutely right that it will decide this application just as they would any other.”

The Ledge was originally used as a garage for Mrs Elphicke's previous home, called The Edge, just around the corner.

Mrs Elphicke lived in The Edge with her husband Charlie, Dover's previous MP.

He was given a two-year jail sentence in 2020, after being convicted of sexual assault. The couple separated after the court case and The Edge was sold.