A controversial application for 181 homes in Barming has been approved by councillors this evening.

Developer Taylor Wimpey originally applied to build 187 houses on land off Oakapple Lane in Barming, known as the pea field, but that number has now dropped by six.

The proposals were given planning consent through delegated powers to an intermediary group which will focus on two issues of open space and emergency service and bus transport on the site.

The plans have been met with fierce objections by residents, who are concerned about a risk of sinkholes, more traffic and the impact on wildlife.

Maidstone Council's planning committee unanimously agreed to defer a decision on the scheme in October and asked the developer to come back with amended layout plans.

Councillors said they wanted to see an allocated recreational space next time they plans came before them.

Speaking at the last meeting, Cllr Bryan Vizzard said the scheme didn't give the residents "anywhere to play" and Cllr Jonathan Purle said it cheated residents out of the open space provisions in the local plan.

This time round, as well as less houses, the developer has, in response to councillors' concerns, increased the amount of natural/ semi-natural open space to 1.5 hectares. This is the amount required in the council's local plan.

The number of electrical vehicle charging points have also been upped.

Taylor Wimpey has also secured a dedicated cycle link from southwest to northwest with this being pursued as a dedicated bridleway in the first instance, through a financial agreement with the council.

The scheme was recommended for approval tonight by officers.

Speaking on behalf of Barming Parish Council chairman Cllr Fay Gooch said: "The parish council to strongly object on the grounds there are fewer affordable homes as well as not putting solar panels on all the houses being unacceptable.

'We're more appalled that the safety and quality of life for residents have been ignored.'

"Neither is not widening the footpath acceptable, destroying the bushes and low growing plants and changing character of paths.

"We don't accept that these meet the requirements or expectations of our residents.

"As a parish council we remain appalled members of this planning committee have ignored the seriously adverse impact that opening up our streets to create a rat run to avoid congestion on hermitage lane would have on our residents.

"We're more appalled that the safety and quality of life for residents have been ignored."

There has been a history of sinkholes in the area, and campaign group Give Peas a Chance have said that further house building could lead to more.

In September, a hole was found on a reservoir, off Hermitage Lane, prompting MPs Helen Grant and Tracey Crouch to ask the Government for an urgent halt to house building.

More sinkholes have emerged since then however.

Shepway South councillor Eddie Powell touched on the subject during the meeting.

He said: "Since the last meeting there has been two further sinkholes in the vicinity.

"I think we should have a geophysical survey not just on the site of the development but in this whole part of Maidstone because since the collapse in the Fant Road area we've continued to have others and it's a real concern.

"If I was thinking of buying a property it's the last place I would go given it's history.

"Safety has to be the main concern for us councillors."

A site investigation report which accompanied the application acknowledged the recent sinkholes, but recommended that ground conditions can be managed through the design of foundations and infrastructure.

The housebuilder has submitted an application on part of the field, which falls under Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council's jurisdiction, for 118 homes. This has yet to be hard.

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