Anxious residents fear their "once-lovely" village is becoming a suburb of its neighbouring town as plans for hundreds more homes are revealed.

Sellindge sits almost four miles from Ashford but those living there feel “complete overdevelopment” leaves it in danger of being swamped.

It comes as two planning applications for land either side of the A20 – at the Ashford end of the village – were submitted to Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) in recent weeks.

The first, lodged by Gladman Developments Limited, could see 105 homes built next to the Potten Farm Shop, while a second application – submitted by a Mr M Tillings – looks to erect 46 homes on land behind The Dukes Head pub.

Both bids come amid much housebuilding in the village, with numerous sites earmarked for development and the 10,000-home Otterpool Park 'garden town' set for land on and around the former Folkestone Racecourse.

Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has already constructed 250 homes opposite the village's Co-op store, sparking worries among residents that it will be unable to cope with any additional homes.

Frank and Rosemary Quick, who have lived in their property on A20 Ashford Road for the past 30 years, fear the latest Gladman proposal will spark traffic chaos.

"The whole area is turning into a suburb of Ashford,” said Mr Quick.

“No matter how you protest they always seem to go through. Look at Otterpool.

“Traffic along this road is already dreadful. With 105 new homes, this is only going to make it worse.”

Mrs Quick says the village used to be “lovely and quiet” but thinks this has changed significantly over the years.

“I actually had very little sleep last night due to the traffic along the main road,” she explained.

Gladman's plan includes ideas for a new public open space, including a children’s play area, seating areas, woodland planting, wildlife ponds and recreational routes.

Within the application, developers say the proposals have been prepared in a “comprehensive manner” and will be set within an “attractive network of well-landscaped green spaces”.

But Clifford Styles, who has lived along the A20 in Sellindge for the past decade, says the last two years have already been "absolute hell".

“I moved here because it was a very peaceful and quiet village," the 68-year-old said.

"My bungalow along the A20 is opposite the Taylor Wimpey properties. They are three storeys and a complete invasion of privacy. I have to keep the blinds closed now.

"The traffic level along the A20 has increased massively. With the further houses, it's going to be even worse. It's unfair on the residents."

Mr Styles lives close to the Dukes Head pub, where Mr M Tillings is looking to build 46 homes and a doctor’s surgery on the site of a former piggery.

He says his application will “utilise vacant brownfield land” and provide a mixture of property types.

Elsewhere in the village, Quinn Homes is behind plans for 105 homes and “state-of-art” GP surgery at Elmtree Farm, which was hit by a huge fire earlier this year.

And the company is already building properties at its 128-home Grove Park site on the southern side of the village, near Grove Bridge.

But David Bennett, who lives in Ashford Road, believes the village is being “completely overdeveloped”.

“There are not enough services in the village and the road is already like a racetrack,” he explained.

“Once Otterpool is completed there will be another 10,000 homes at the other end of the village. It's just not going to be able to cope.”

Mr Bennett, who has lived with his family in Sellindge for the past four years, says the developments could force him to move away from the village.

“When we first moved here this was not in the plan. One of the reasons we bought this house is because it backed onto farmland,” he added.

“Once they start digging behind us we probably will move.”

Plans for the first phase of Otterpool Park have been approved, with bosses aiming to deliver a 10,000-home ‘garden town’.

But in September, FHDC, now run by the Green Party, revealed the £119m originally earmarked to build the new town and its associated infrastructure is now insufficient.

The first 8,500 homes at the former Folkestone Racecourse site, between Sellindge and Newingreen, were waved through by the district council’s planning committee in April.

Up to seven primary and two secondary schools are proposed to be built under the plans, alongside a town centre, shops, health centres and places of worship.

But FHDC member Cllr Jennifer Hollingsbee (Con) believes delays in delivering the homes at Otterpool Park and the axing of Princes Parade in Hythe have had a “major influence on the housing numbers”.

The Sellindge representative explained: “My major concern is infrastructure and services. We do need a new doctor's surgery.

“Developers are jumping on the bandwagon with housing numbers and Sellindge happens to be the place they are looking that.

“I really think developers have seen Sellindge as an opportunity to make up the housing numbers.

"I am looking into arranging a meeting with developers to discuss things further.”

FHDC is yet to decide on the proposals from Gladman Developments Limited, Mr M Tillings and Quinn Homes’ Elmtree Farm bid.