Plans to build dozens of care home apartments and a Co-op have been deferred by councillors.

Medway Council postponed making a decision on plans submitted by Rapport Housing and Care and A N Development to create 88 flats on a former cement works site adjacent to Balancing Pond, at St Andrews Park, Halling.

This comes 12 months after the Medway-based applicant originally submitted plans to build 36 one-bedroom, and 50 two-bedroom, flats. This includes a restaurant, offices and separate Co-op with parking.

But a total of 113 objection letters were sent to the local planning authority ahead of Wednesday night's meeting claiming that St Andrew's residents had been "mis-sold" and had been promised a doctor's and nursery.

Opponents also said the proposed Co-op would damage small independent shops within Halling village, while the 88-bed care home would likely become an "eyesore".

Medway Council officers disputed this and said the proposal was "acceptable". A paper published to the planning committee last week stated: "This provision will benefit the whole of the St Andrews development as well as the wider community."

However, the proposal was among 12 put on hold by Medway Council's planning committee amid the coronavirus crisis. Some will be decided by councillors in the future, but others will be dealt with by officers.

Cllr Diane Chambers (Con), the chairman of Medway Council's planning committee, said: "We ask that applicants be patient and do not go to appeal."

The Medway applicant says the home will provide care to over 55s who are largely independent, but require some support and would like "peace of mind" in a safe setting.

Residents will live in their own apartments, but would be able to access a range of communal facilities and receive care for at least three-and-a-half hours a week.

Under the plans, up to 30 staff will be hired and a four-to-five storey building would be built to include a roof garden area, restaurant, kitchen, lounge, activities room, hairdresser's, club room and assisted bathroom.

If approved, around 50 of the 88 total units provided would be made affordable, 25 of these would be shared ownership and another 25 affordable rent.

A single-storey Co-op store, covering 392 sqm, would also be created directly opposite the care home, to the west of the A228 Formby Road.

But, Kent Police stressed to Medway Council the need to "segregate" parking for the supermarket and care home, which could include up to 97 spaces, along with anti-ram raid bollards for the supermarket.

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