Residents in a rural village have warned they are “drowning under development” amid plans for a 10-home development behind a doctor’s surgery.

An application has been made for the houses on a field near the White Cliffs Medical Centre in Shepherdswell, near Dover.

It would see a variety of three, four and five-bedroom homes as well as a new access drive, off-street parking, bin and cycle storage and private gardens.

Excerpts from planning documents submitted by DHA Planning on behalf of Woodchurch Property described the field, off Mill Lane, as offering a “great opportunity” for the development, which would be “sensitive yet reflective of the surrounding area”.

“The scheme at land adjacent to Mill House has been explored to feasibly accommodate three four-beds, six three-beds and one five-bed units with generous gardens, and open green space, carefully considering a new site entrance and on-site parking,” it added.

Documents add: “The proposed scheme will be of suitable scale to reflect the surroundings. Materials used for this proposal will also seek to complement the existing buildings and rural settings.

“Moreover, an advantage will be taken based on the fact that the site offers views out to the fields.”

However, a number of residents have taken issue with the development, with several saying there had been too much building in the area.

Carol Potter said the “picturesque” village “simply doesn’t have the capacity to withstand more building”.

“The roads are narrow lanes riddled with potholes it’s difficult to get in and out of the village at present time especially given the work by village hall,” she explained. “We simply can’t afford to keep building on our green land. We are being swallowed by concrete.

"Also there are problems with sewage and obviously the water shortage/hosepipe ban of the summer is just a glimpse of the extra pressure put on resources!”

Martin Potter added: “Our village is having a lot of trouble with the roads as it is – the roads are too busy, there is often gridlock caused by buses and lorries getting stuck in our narrow country lanes which are in a poor state!

"The infrastructure simply doesn’t exist to cope with more demand for resources! The sewage problems, the water shortages and hosepipe ban- this area of our countryside is being put under such pressure!

“The North Downs are stunning with coastal views from Whitstable to Ramsgate. All this needs to be protected and not built upon! We are slowly drowning under all the development going on in Kent!”

The application is at the consultation stage, with residents invited to make comments in support or against the plans.

On nearby Coxhill, a controversial plan for 13 houses was passed through – despite having almost 100 objections and only 32 supporting.

The application was eventually waved through by councillors after arguments in favour of the sizable proportion of affordable homes included in the development.