Fears over where children will be able to play have been raised after plans emerged to build eight new homes.

They are proposed to be erected on land off Romney Avenue in Sandgate, near Folkestone and would take over space currently used as a play area for children, as well as old garages.

The plans come from Southern Housing and the new homes would be for shared ownership and social rent.

The housing group is currently carrying out a public consultation over the proposals, and once that is completed a planning application will be submitted to Folkestone and Hythe District Council.

Liberal Democrat ward councillor Tim Prater has welcomed the additional housing - but he says it would be wrong to build over the play park.

Cllr Prater said: "Essentially the proposal is to remove some pretty rarely-used garages and then to build eight houses across that area, but also pretty much the entirety of a small play park off Walmer Way.

"Although the intention of more affordable housing and indeed energy efficient homes is to be welcomed, that cannot be at the expense of the whole of a play park which serves the surrounding area.

"The owners have had responsibility for, and charged tenants for, the upkeep of that park for years.

"For them to now say its poorly maintained is to duck their own responsibility.

"I'm sure few people would regret the loss of the garages, and indeed you could probably build some houses on the footprint of those overlooking the park, and I think that could be done reasonably.

"To try and build across the entirety of the children's play area just cannot be on. Where do the children play?"

According to the plans publicised this month, the homes would be built using an off-site manufacturing system, which would reduce on-site construction time

The new homes would be designed to be 'net-zero carbon' thanks to high levels of insulation and airtightness to reduce energy consumption.

In a Q&A document produced for the consultation process, Southern Housing said: "We have identified the open space in front of Walmer Way as a good location to provide much-needed new homes in the area.

"Residents of Coolinge Lane estate will continue to have access to the remaining open space.

"We are inviting residents to suggest how we might improve it by taking part in the survey which forms part of this consultation."