An eight-year saga of whether hundreds of homes will be built on Green Belt land has taken another twist.

FD Attwood and Partners has been bidding to construct 450 properties at Gibraltar Farm in Capstone Valley, Chatham.

A government planning inspector raised fears over the future of bats when turning down an appeal from the company.

It was arguing that Medway Council was being unfair in repeatedly knocking back proposals for the land.

In deciding to refuse the Attwoods' appeal, Louise Gibbons concluded the developers had not demonstrated that a species of bat would not be adversely affected.

That was despite the fact she was mindful the council lacks a five-year housing supply, the scheme would provide affordable houses and economic benefits from construction jobs.

There had been concerns about how the lighting used over a planned foot and cycle path running through Hall Wood and along North Dane Way could affect the small mammals.

However, following Ms Gibbons' decision, which was published last week, it came to light the farming company had already submitted a new application for the area.

She was reporting back after a second public inquiry last October into the council's decision to dismiss the plans concerning how the development would be accessed.

Permission for the plan was previously granted following the first inquiry but the developer's blueprint relied on traffic being able to access the site via council-owned land off North Dane Way.

Cabinet members declined an offer to sell the land to the applicant in 2018 meaning the proposals had to be re-drawn.

In January last year, planning committee members turned down alternative access plans, which brought about the most recent appeal.

The council was then offered a second "multi-million" pound deal in July to sell the land, it was rejected after cabinet members concluded this would amount to the plans going ahead.

Attwoods' latest application is identical to the one dismissed in the appeal, detailing access to the site from Hempstead.

This is an alternative access to the strip of land off North Dane Way which the council has refused to sell.

The developers added surveys will be carried out in due course to provide additional information for the new application.

Ward councillor David Wildey (Con) is critical of Kevin Attwood, a former chairman of the Kent Agricultural Society, who has also been involved with the National Farmers' Union, saying how he "couldn't understand" how someone in his position would want to develop farm land.

He said: "It's obviously going to keep happening because the developers will not let go of it.

"They see it as what they want to do, they want to make the money.

"As long as there are applications put in, I will keep fighting and I'm sure other residents will do the same as well as large parts of Medway Council."

Council leader Alan Jarrett (Con), who also represents the ward covering Capstone Valley, wasn't immediately aware the plans had been resubmitted.

But he said: "The council is opposed to this development, that's our stated position.

"The planning committee has turned it down on more than one occasion so we will see what happens through the planning process.

"It's a completely inappropriate development, as is East Hill which was approved by a different planning inspector, but we are where we are, we can't change that."

The authority found out in February how the appeal against its decision to build 800 homes at land called East Hill – also in Capstone Valley and owned by the Attwoods – had been won.

Former cabinet member Cllr Rupert Turpin (Con), previously said he would like to see Capstone Valley get its fair share of homes under the new Local Plan when it's released.

Responding to ongoing attempts to develop the area, he said: "There needs to be an assessment of every single area of Medway on a level playing field basis.

"That must take into account the sustainability of every location and it must be impartially done.

"There's no point in ruling out certain areas and only assessing other areas where you've politically decided that you definitely want stuff to go, because it will leave the Local Plan vulnerable at the examination stage if you've not done the correct level of assessment across the whole of Medway.

"There's a great danger of concentrating housing on Hoo because it's a vulnerable area with a unique ecosystem and known vulnerabilities including the nightingales and all that needs to be carefully assessed."

Attwood is promoting land close to Bredhust as part of Maidstone council's Local Plan review.

If the plans get approved, the village of Lidsing – a hamlet of 13 houses between Hempstead, Lordswood and Bredhurst – could host a "Garden village" consisting of 2,000 homes.