Proposals to create a new town are set to be decided on amid neighbours’ fears it would “cause chaos” in the area.

The 10,000-home Otterpool Park development earmarked on land around the former Folkestone Racecourse and surrounding villages will have its outline planning application heard by Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) next week.

Otterpool Park LLP, the company established by the council to deliver the project, previously said it hopes to have secured outline planning permission by the spring.

This will allow work to begin on critical infrastructure - things such as roads, sewerage and utilities - which will underpin the new town, set to be bigger than nearby Hythe.

Council officers are recommending that members of the planning committee vote to approve the scheme on Tuesday, April 4.

But the proposals have faced fierce opposition.

In total, there have been 362 objections to the outline plans, along with nine letters of support, and 15 submissions expressing no preference, the officer's report to the committee states.

FHDC also ran a consultation on the latest version of the scheme with people living near the site in December last year, where 14 neighbours took part to express concerns.

One resident, Lisa Cutler, said: “It would cause chaos to the communities just trying to get from A to B, hundreds of lorries thundering by causing further damage and potholes to existing roads.

“This scheme should be thrown out and only applications for small schemes put forward to allow existing small communities to be able to enjoy the environment in which they live whilst also allowing for small building schemes.”

Valerie Perry said: “With everything that is happening in this country and the world surely building more houses on land that could be used for producing food is total madness.”

Neighbour Colin Abbott wrote: “I wish to object most strongly to this unwanted application to cover prime agricultural greenfield land in concrete.

“Our countryside is more valuable as an Area of Natural Beauty and home to wildlife, not to mention being in an area of recurring water shortage.”

In documents lodged with FHDC, Otterpool Park LLP describes the scheme as “a very significant development for Folkestone and Hythe, essentially creating a ‘second town’ for the district, with it being second in scale between the main settlement of Folkestone and neighbouring Hythe.”

The outline planning application seeks permission for up to 8,500 homes, but the whole development will include “up to 10,000 homes and associated facilities”, according to documents submitted to the council.

As many as eight primary schools and two secondary schools are expected to be needed to meet the demand of thousands of new residents.

“The site is of a scale that it can build its own waste water treatment plant to overcome the problem of increased phosphate and nitrate levels in the River Stour,” the plans say.

“Set within this unique environment will be high-quality homes that all can enjoy for generations to come - from starter homes, to family homes of all sizes, bungalows, self-build, homes for young and old people with extra-care provision, together with all the facilities needed to create and sustain a vibrant community life,” the developer adds.

“Otterpool Park will seek to showcase what a sustainable future can look like by enabling people to live affordable, happy and healthy lives in high-quality homes.”

A report by council planning officers details that 22% of the total homes built will be affordable.