AN INQUIRY has begun into controversial plans to provide more than 2,500 homes in Snodland, Leybourne and Kings Hill, near West Malling.

Three sites have been earmarked for expansion but there are major concerns that the area may be unable to cope with the extra homes.

Objectors also say there is not enough affordable housing included in any of the schemes.

Planning inspectors have been asked to consider three applications. Trenport Investments wish to build 1,000 homes on the disused Holborough Quarry site in Snodland, and Rouse Kent want to enlarge the Kings Hill estate by building a further 750 homes.

The third application by developers on behalf of the Department of Health, would mean 700-plus homes at the former Leybourne Grange Hospital in Leybourne.

The Holborough and Leybourne Grange applicants lodged appeals because Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council did not make a decision in the allotted timescale.

The Government then made the decision to consider the Kings Hill application at the same time because it was particularly controversial.

The borough council agrees in principle to all three developments but councillors believe certain issues need to be addressed before any building takes place. They say roads, particularly the A228 and junction four of the M20, at Leybourne, need to be improved significantly to cope with the extra traffic. Better public transport and more schools would also be needed.

The borough council cabinet member for planning and transportation, Cllr Matthew Balfour, was sitting in on the inquiry on Wednesday. He said: "It's been agreed again and again democratically that there is a need for the Leybourne bypass and the upgrading of junction four of the M20 before these go ahead.

"I want to see them allowed, but only if the Secretary of State has cognition of the needs of the people who are here already and the needs of the people who will be living here if they are approved. The danger is that the Secretary of State will not see fit to make certain necessary conditions, then we'll all have a degraded quality of life."

The inquiry, chaired by Government planning inspector David Harmston, is expected last until early January.