Planning officers have passed designs for the appearance of a controversial 180-home estate on the outskirts of town.

The development on the land on the edge of Herne Bay will be split into two sections of new buildings including flats, houses and green spaces.

Documents submitted to Canterbury City Council say the first area will consist of apartment blocks with “intimate residential spaces” adding these will have “arrangements consistent with those found in the typical urban street”.

The second area of the site to the south of Osborne Gardens, Hillborough, will include more detached and semi-detached homes with views overlooking parkland to create the “perception of lower density”.

“A series of outdoor play spaces are provided within the new development,” continues the planning papers.

“These spaces are designed to provide high-quality play space for a wide range of age groups, and are conveniently located within easy walking distance of homes.”

Documents reveal, Kitewood, which will build the homes, will also contribute money for a new primary school as part of its Section 106 developer contributions.

Council officers this week approved details on the appearance of the new houses.

When the scheme was first proposed in 2021, it attracted almost 300 objections, who worried that the site’s construction would create traffic “havoc” in the area.

Resident Veronica Lewis said at the time: "We aren’t going to stand for this.

"The village can be at gridlock sometimes now.

“So there will be absolute havoc if big lorries are allowed to start running through it.

"When this surfaced before, people were really angry and they will be now.

“Not because of the fact houses will be built, but because they’re going to run traffic through our village and destroy it."

The plot is part of the larger Hillborough site, which has been earmarked for two separate schemes totalling 1,250 homes.

Kitewood details in its newly-released planning papers that its project will form "part of the major extension to the coastal area of Herne Bay".

It also says nearly half of its site will be "shared open green space", giving residents access to “communal parkland and play zones”.