With all the house-building going on in Maidstone, it might be thought that an application to build just two homes would slip through almost unchallenged. Not so.

The proposal to build two five-bedroom detached homes and two three-bay detached garages to the east of Goddington Lane in Harrietsham has unleashed a storm of protests, with opponents saying it threatens the survival of Kent’s last trout farm and the lake at Leeds Castle.

Parkwood Trout Farm has been established 44 years. It has 10 stock ponds and lakes that regularly accommodate 40,000 brown and rainbow trout.

Stock from the farm is used to replenish supplies in the Rivers Darent, Stour and Teise.

However, the fish could easily be affected by pollution from the proposed building site, on scrubland next to the farm.

There is no mains drainage to the site and the developer, R.James, is proposing a SUDS drainage system, where surface water from the homes and garages will be allowed to drain away through a reedbed.

The problem arises because the Goddington chalk stream lies next to the site and feeds the fish farm and the River Len, which supplies the moat and lakes at Leeds Castle.

Alison Davis, who runs the trout farm with her husband Paul, said: “It would not be a question of if, but when that pollution would enter the watercourse. This would spell the end of our business.”

Leeds Castle’s deputy chief executive Bill Lash said any pollution entering the stream at Goddington Lane would “ultimately have an effect downstream, including the extensive water network at Leeds Castle”.

Bernice Brewster, a consultant representing the farm, warned the trout were highly sensitive to pollution: “Even apparently inert construction materials such as sand will cause serious injury to the trout stocks.”

The National Farmers’ Union has also objected, with Patrick Bowring observing the development could cause “a catastrophic loss of fish”.

Meanwhile, neighbours are worried about more immediate matters. They say the lane floods and the development, which sits on a floodplain, will aggravate that. There are also concerns about traffic.

Harrietsham Parish Council, the CPRE and 20 residents have registered objections. More details on planning application 16/50045 on maidstone.gov.uk