Developers behind plans for new housing on the edge of a rural village have increased the number of proposed properties from 28 to 47.

Pentland Homes put the refreshed plans for the development in Lyminge, between Folkestone and Canterbury, to the public at a consultation event at Etchinghill Golf Club.

The scheme at Broad Street has been reworked to reduce the number of 'mansion-style' detached properties in favour of smaller family homes which the developers hope will appeal more to local buyers.

At the 90-minute session at the golf club, locals raised questions about drainage in the village and the potential road closure which will be required to connect the homes to the sewerage system.

Villagers were angered by plans for a six-week closure of Canterbury Road last summer - which was called off at the last minute.

Speaking after the consultation event on February 7, Pentland Homes managing director Paul Kitchingman told KentOnline that unless a deal can be struck with the nearby New Lyminge Surgery to run a sewer across its land then a road closure later this year is inevitable.

"There's only two ways we can get there," he said of the connection point to the water network adjacent the site.

"One is through the road and one is through the GP surgery land.

"At the moment we're in discussions with the GP surgery. There is no guarantee they will agree, but we hope they will."

Pentland Homes has already secured permission for the initial scheme of 28 homes, which were to include what the developer described as "executive mansion homes".

A new proposal for 47 homes, of which 10 will be classed as affordable, is now expected to be formally submitted to Folkestone and Hythe District Council this spring.

Richard Stewart, a villager who attended the consultation, said he was disappointed with the format of the event and would have liked to have seen a Q&A with representatives of the developer.

He said: "I was very disappointed that they've downgraded the development.

"They're obviously getting more houses in and they say they're aiming at a different market, but it seems a great pity to me to spoil this beautiful country site."