More than 200 people crowded into a village hall to voice their displeasure at aspects of Tonbridge and Malling's new Local Plan.

The borough is currently consulting the public on its first list of proposed development sites, before whittling them down to a more sustainable plan.

Villagers in East Malling and Larkfield were stunned to hear that among the sites proposed was the Martin Square car park in Larkfield, which is heavily used by shoppers, residents of the adjacent flats, and visitors to the library and medical centre.

Another suggestion is to build on part of the Larkfield Leisure Centre car park.

Residents on the Step Style Estate were horrified to hear of plans to build on Carnation Green which has been their area of open green space since the estate was built in the 1960s.

David Thornewell is both the chairman of East Malling and Larkfield Parish Council and a Lib Dem borough councillor for Larkfield North.

He said: "There seems to be two sets of sites that have been put forward. The first is that suggested by landowners and developers, which is much what you would expect. The second is that suggested by consultants engaged for the council.

"In order to try to meet the council's ambition of building in urban areas rather than releasing new green field sites, the consultants have just listed every undeveloped space there is.

"In our parish they have put forward six public greens – including two, Gighill Green and Marlowe Road Green, that are actually owned by the parish council.

"The list is a nonsense, because we are obviously not going to be selling the greens we own.

"We weren't even consulted. The first we knew was when they appeared in the consultation document.

"It would be interesting to know what guidelines the borough gave these consultants when they told them to draw up a list – they seem to have been given a completely blank cheque to include whatever they liked."

One landowner attending the meeting was also surprised to find that his field had been put forward as a suggestion by a developer, without his knowledge.

The parish council gave residents attending the meeting advice on how to lodge comments with the borough's consultation.

The six-week consultation which began on September 22, expires on November 2.

To take part, click here.

Once adopted, the Local Plan will become the blueprint for the housing, economic and environmental development of the borough, up to the year 2040, but the borough must find room for 16,000 more homes to meet government targets.

There have been 290 development sites put forward across the borough but it is expected that many of these will go before the plan progresses to the next stage.

Tonbridge and Malling council leader Cllr Matt Boughton said: "We know residents care passionately about how and where development takes place and about safeguarding our beautiful countryside, much of which is Green Belt.

"This first phase of creating a Local Plan is a great opportunity for everyone to get involved and help shape how our borough evolves between now and 2040."

This Sunday, Kings Hill Parish Council is holding a similar public consultation meeting for its residents at the Mary Ellis Hall in the Kings Hill Community Centre.

The meeting opens at 1pm, with a presentation from the parish's Local Plan Working Group at 1.30pm and an opportunity for public debate until 4pm.

Posters will illustrate the sites within Kings Hill that have been suggested for development.