Plans for almost 100 new homes have been approved despite “genuine concerns” about flooding and whether the sewer system will be able to cope.

In October last year, Pentland Homes lodged proposals with Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC) for a mix of houses and flats on land west of Ashford Road, New Romney.

Six letters of objection were lodged by neighbours, with many concerned about flooding from the field where the 96 homes will be built.

At a planning meeting in May, the bid was sent back to the drawing board after councillors insisted the town “cannot sustain new large developments”, despite the site being allocated for new housing in FHDC’s 2020 local plan.

It comes as more than 1,500 homes have been created in and around the town in the last 15 years.

However, members of the planning committee met again on Tuesday, September 10, to make the final call on the application.

Oonagh Kerrigan, acting as an agent for the developers, told councillors: “Pentland Homes recognised the concerns raised by New Romney Town Council and subsequently met them to discuss and explain the proposals further.

“The density of the development remains low, with a gross density of just 28 dwellings per hectare, in keeping with the local area.

“Overall the proposals keep the development lower than that which was approved previously, with more of the development area kept to two storeys.”

However, the estate still includes plans for a three-storey block of flats - which the developers haven’t altered since it was deferred.

They insist that the design for the block was approved at the outline stage and was perfectly acceptable when outline planning permission was given.

Ms Kerrigan also stressed that the developers will be contributing more than £530,000 to local healthcare and education.

“The proposals will secure the delivery of high-quality development which makes the most efficient use of this allocated and sustainable site,” she added.

Cllr Paul Thomas (Ind), who represents the area, explained that New Romney Town Council’s concerns were “allayed” by meeting with the developers.

“I still have genuine concerns about the capability of the sewer system in New Romney and in the surface water system which it all ultimately feeds into, to absorb yet another 90-odd homes,” he said.

“Just last week I was in touch with Pentland again because the immediate neighbour of this site had his garage and house flooded because of runoff from that field.”

In May, KentOnline spoke to the neighbour in question, Richard Crooks, who said: “The infrastructure is totally inadequate.

“I’ve no objection overall to this sort of development in the field behind me but I have got certain objections with regard to the flooding that I experience in my garden.

“Down in this bottom area of my garden we regularly get two to three feet of water.”

Another resident who lives near the proposed development site, Juliet Wirt, said the sewers “can't cope now with the excess water” from new developments.

“A lot of these developments don’t seem to enhance the structures around and put in any improvements to counteract for all the extra people that are going to be living there,” she added.

At the committee last week, Cllr Thomas also raised concerns about construction vehicles, saying that enforcement officers had to be called to a nearby development because the volume of traffic on the roads caused major disruption.

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“That is an arterial route from across the marsh and into New Romney. It was closed on numerous occasions for weeks at a time and it was hugely impactful on local residents,” he said.

“I would really like Pentland to do what they say they’re going to do and be a considerate constructor and make sure that there isn’t any adverse impact on local residents when this development is being built, because last time it was completely unacceptable.”

However, the committee ended up voting to approve the plans with seven votes in favour, two against, and one abstention.