Controversial plans to build a giant solar park near a village have moved a step closer.

Kent County Council's (KCC) planning committee this week agreed plans to install a 10.2W solar park at Offham landfill site, in Teston Road, near West Malling.

The scheme is being referred to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for a final decision.

The applicant, Infinis Solar Developments, said the 45-acre scheme would make a "significant" contribution to the UK's aim to reduce carbon emissions by 2050.

Objections were raised due to the site being so close to Offham village, with fears that villagers could be disturbed both by noise and by glare shining on people's homes.

Dr Charles Unter, chairman of Offham Parish Council, called for there to be a "meaningful engagement" with residents during a public debate at County Hall, Maidstone, on Wednesday.

He said: "The proposed solar development is immediately adjacent to the village and is the same size as our village.

"The application says it is to be 300 metres from our village, but it is 300 metres from the centre, which is a conservation area. Some of our houses are only 75 metres away."

The solar park would be in operation for 35 years, generating the equivalent of the annual electricity usage of 2,200 homes.

Dr Unter said: "This site was in the Greenbelt, until KCC made the decision in the 1960s to allow ragstone quarrying there.

"Then they allowed the quarry to be in-filled, but the promise was always that it would be returned to Greenbelt. Now that is being delayed another 35 years."

He said the village was also concerned that a public footpath across the site, diverted when quarrying was allowed, should be restored.

He said there was no community benefit to Offham from the proposals and plans to protect the village by shielding the site with greenery were also

uncertain since the area of land leased by Infinis from the freeholders, SEC, did not extend to the full margin of the quarry.

Speaking at County Hall on Wednesday, an Infinis Solar Developments spokesman said: "The UK is legally bound to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.

"The development will contribute to meeting these requirements."

Ten residents objected to the plans, with the site located on Green Belt land, while two letters of support were also received.

Labour county councillor Jackie Meade, of Folkestone East, who supports the move, said: "We need solar parks. We really, really do need them."

She said: "This is a wasteline site with no other uses. In my district, they are starting to build housing on similar types of land.

"My preference would be to put a solar farm on there. It can actually bring some education value to the locale."

In opposition, Malling North county councillor Sarah Hohler (Con), warned that solar panels up to 3m above ground level were too high and would cause visibility issues for residents.