Plans to demolish an industrial building and replace it with dozens of homes have been approved – despite concerns about land contamination.

A Tonbridge and Malling council planning meeting on Wednesday considered the plan for the development which will bring 41 new properties to the former Geographers’ A-Z Map Company Ltd site in Borough Green.

Fernham Homes will demolish the existing office blocks in Fairfield Road and build a range of properties of which 39% are set to be affordable housing.

Developers say the proposal will help meet the shortage of new housing in the area and materials have been chosen to complement and co-ordinate with the style of the surrounding village.

Concerns have been raised by residents and councillors about the possibility of the land being contaminated by water that is often drained into a landfill site.

The Environment Agency retracted an earlier objection, saying: “Sufficient information has been provided to satisfy the required preliminary risk assessment.”

John Collins, of planning consultants DHA planning in Eclipse Park, Maidstone, said: “Contamination is something that developers have to take seriously. There have been surveys done on this site. There will be material taken away and replaced with new material to remediate the land.”