A formal planning bid is likely to be launched in the new year for a controversial 10,000-home development.

Previously, Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) said an application for Otterpool Park Garden Town on greenfield land around the former Folkestone Racecourse would be submitted in November.

But this month the authority revealed the bid - which if approved would see the development span to Ashford’s border within 30 years - will be lodged in "early 2019".

FHDC and partners Cozumel Estates’ latest notice comes after a frosty reception from residents during a series of public consultations.

The council has since tackled issues centred on housing density and quality, water provision, and traffic congestion, its latest literature claims.

Available on its website, the council says the consultations sparked its decision to strip the amount of houses from 12,000 to 10,000, instead expanding the town’s boundaries.

The first application will be for 8,500 homes with the scope for a further 1,500 at a later date.

It adds: “Affinity Water has confirmed that the whole garden town can be supplied with water.

“The first supply can be provided for up to 1,500 homes in advance of new investment into the distribution system.”

It claims the authority is also in talks with Albion Water and traffic congestion will be tackled by encouraging residents to lead “active lives".

It added: “We want to encourage less dependency on cars so we can help people lead active lives and minimise air and noise pollution from traffic.

"All facilities will be a 10 minute walk from where people live.

“We have been working closely with Kent County Council, Highways England and other operators to agree how to plan for access and travel to the site and assess the transport impact."

It also claims the enveloping Kent Downs Area of Outstanding of Natural Beauty (AONB) will be protected.

It added: “The whole approach to planning Otterpool Park has been landscape-led, taking into account the important setting of the AONB that surrounds the site.

“Green buffers will provide protection of existing habitats and features, and important separation between neighbouring villages.

“Green space makes up at least 40% of the proposals for the garden town.”

Almost a quarter of homes will be affordable and around 10% will be “extra care and housing for older people,” the leaflet adds.

Last week, council chiefs rubber-stamped proposals at a meeting to borrow £10 million to buy more land for the project.

The meeting’s papers admitted the scheme had left current residents “unable to plan for the future,” but argued buying up more land would help the town planning process.