Two pensioners only learned their landlord had ambitions to knock down their homes after neighbours spotted it online and came round to tell them.

The East Malling Trust had not told its tenants – both long-standing retired employees – of its intention to turn their homes in East Malling High Street into a car park.

Last week, the trust published details of its proposal to create a new "community" of 1600 homes across the three parishes of Ditton, East Malling and Larkfield, and Aylesford.

Part of the scheme is to create a new road running from Kiln Barn Road to New Road in East Malling, which would help create a continuous east-west route between Allington and East Malling.

But although the scheme might take some pressure off Hermitage Lane, it would likely steer more traffic onto East Malling High Street – a narrow road already a bottleneck owing to residents' parked cars.

The solution proposed by the trust is to create a new car park off the high street to take the residents' cars - and then to ban them from parking outside their homes.

The trust owns two houses – each on half of a semi-detached pair – which it would pull down to create a 32-space car park.

Among those affected is a retired agricultural labourer who worked for the trust for 42 years, who lives in one of the homes with his partner, who herself worked for the trust for ten years.

The tenant, 71, said: "We were told nothing. I only knew about it because my neighbours came round after they saw it online."

He added: "I tried phoning the agents, Savills, who we pay our rent to, but they couldn't tell me anything.

"I've no idea whether they plan to rehouse us or just kick us out on the street.

"I couldn't sleep at all that first night after hearing the news."

His neighbour, 79, said: "The most upsetting thing is that the trust didn't tell us of their plans – and still haven't.

"I worked for them for 45 years from 1966, and they still haven't written to me or phoned me."

He added: "I certainly don't want to move. I've lived here 53 years. This is where my children grew up."

Both the properties are one half of a pair of adjacent semis.

The trust's plans only speak of demolishing their homes, but on Thursday their neighbours on the outside of the pairs – who own their homes – each received a letter from the trust expressing an interest in buying their properties.

East Malling residents have questioned the logic of the plans put forward by the trust, a charity which supports horticultural and plant-based research.

One said: "Just across the road from these homes is a public car park operated by Tonbridge and Malling council.

"It has 42 spaces and is nearly always empty.

"If the residents in the High Street and Chapel Street wanted to park off the road, they could do so now in the existing car park"

He added: "They don't do so because there is a lot of theft and vandalism in the car park. They want to park where they can see their vehicles.

"I walk my dog every night around 10pm and there's only ever about four cars in the car park at any time."

Another high street resident said: "The community is shocked that the trust wishes to rip up heritage land on edge of conservation area with no regard for local residents who have given their careers to the firm.

"These are sad times indeed."

She added: "This is hardly the action of a charitable trust whose self-stated mission is the advancement of science 'for the public benefit'.

"It doesn't look that way from the thousands of houses and traffic already built and planned through the site and through the East Malling conservation area."

She claimed the parked residents' vehicles actually performed a valuable service in slowing traffic down in the High Street in what would otherwise be a fast rat-run.

"The historic East Malling High Street is very narrow," she explained.

"It is already downright dangerous for pedestrians due to speeding traffic even with the parked cars.

"It would be treacherous without them as it is a very busy rat-run through to Maidstone and Tonbridge.

"There are just so many things wrong with this plan and I really hope that sense will prevail."

The trust's website about its project can be found here.

The new community – to be known as Bradbourne – will include a new two-form entry primary school, shops and open space, and cover approximately 53 hectares. The land is currently in agricultural use.

Residents are now being invited to a consultation event on Thursday to view the scheme.

The public exhibition will run from 1.30pm till 7.30pm, at the Orchard Conference Centre, East Malling Business Centre, accessed via New Road.

A spokesperson for the trust said: “We can confirm our agents have now spoken with both of our tenants at 49 and 51 High Street, East Malling, advising them that this is very much an early stage concept and any development which may occur would be several years away.

"The agent also reassured both tenants that should this concept be adopted, the trust would seek to re-house them – the trust has a significant residential portfolio and there will be opportunities to relocate them."

But the tenants told KentOnline: "They still didn't contact us. We only got that message as a result of our ringing them – and still we've had nothing in writing."