A plan to build 65 homes on what was once part of West Malling Airfield has been recommended for approval.

The Tregothnan Estate wants outline permission for 39 homes for the open market and 26 affordable homes south of Discovery Drive in Kings Hill.

The application, first submitted in 2021, has proved deeply controversial with Tonbridge and Malling council receiving a total of 1,531 letters of objection, as well as a petition of 557 signatures.

But the site was previously allocated for development in an earlier iteration of the council’s Local Plan.

The borough is currently without an up-to-date Local Plan and cannot demonstrate it has a five-year supply of housing land - at the last count in December last year, it had 4.36 years’ supply.

Under government rules, there must therefore be a presumption in favour of development, unless there are strong reasons to the contrary.

Objectors say there are because it would result in the loss of a treasured open space and valuable woodland that is home to wildlife including adders, bats and dormice.

A number of trees on the site are protected by preservation orders.

The Woodland Trust has also objected because of the site’s proximity to the designated ancient woodland at Cattering Wood.

Because the application is outline only, no details of house sizes or types have been provided, but the developer has submitted a suggested layout.

Access to the 3.2-hectare site would be achieved by extending Clearheart Lane.

The original application included a second emergency access, via Ketridge Lane to Teston Lane, but that has since been dropped.

The application has been “called in” by Cllr Chris Brown, and was originally scheduled to be considered by the planning committee on Wednesday, December 4, but that has now been revised. The new date is Thursday, December 12, at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber at Gibson Drive, Kings Hill. The meeting is open to the public.

Both Kings Hill and Teston parish councils have also objected to the plans.

KCC has not objected but it would receive a total of £1,088,717 from the developers towards services, such as education and adult social care, that it provides.

Find out about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal.

Details of the application can be found on the Tonbridge and Malling council website.

Search for application number 21/00881.

The Tregothnan Estate is owned by The Honourable Evelyn Arthur Hugh Boscawen, heir to the Viscountcy of Falmouth.