Controversial plans for a housing development which were rejected have been resubmitted - with half the number of properties and bungalows instead of houses.

Applicant Michael Piper has slashed the number of homes that would be built off Nelson Avenue, in Minster, on Sheppey from 64 to 31.

It comes after original plans for houses submitted in 2021, which drew more than 120 objections, were rejected by a planning inspector in August last year.

The proposals would have seen a selection of three and four-bedroom homes, some of which would have been two-and-a-half storeys.

In March last year, the applicants opted to ask the Planning Inspectorate to decide on the application after Swale council failed to make a decision within the set timescale.

Five months later it was refused by planning inspector Benjamin Webber who visited the site last July and said the development would cause “unacceptable harm” to the character of the area.

New plans submitted for the field, which borders Nelson Avenue and Scocles Road, now propose 31 homes on half the plot.

If approved, a bungalow in Nelson Avenue would be demolished to make way for access to the housing, which would include 27 three-bedroom and four two-bedroom bungalows.

Find out about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal. Use reference 24/503866/OUT on these plans.

Several people living nearby have raised concerns, including the narrow roads around it and the congestion it would cause.

Caz Harlin, of Barton Hill Drive, said: “Our road is already used by an increasing amount of road traffic due to the unsuitable nature of Scocles Road, with many road users dangerously speeding over the 30mph limit and often causing queues up the whole road at various times of the day.

“Adding more houses to this area would cause more congestion and possibly more accidents.”

Nelson Avenue resident Sandra Welling added: “The surrounding roads are far too narrow to cope with the added traffic, firstly the construction vehicles and then the added vehicles of future residents.

“The land itself floods badly during wet weather and the water continues down the hill through Nelson and Drake Avenues into Elm Lane causing flooded gardens and roads.

“The land is currently used for much-needed grazing for the local riding school, and is one of the few green areas left in the Minster area.

“There has already been much building in this area – 60-plus on the corner of Elm Lane/Scocles Road, 700-plus planned at Barton's Hill, as well as the numerous houses on the left as you come up Scocles Road from the Lower Road – and the infrastructure cannot cope, it is already struggling.

“It is nigh on impossible to get a doctors’ appointment at the moment and consideration must be given to lack of schools, employment, dentists, recreation etcetera.

“Development on this land has already been refused once and I can't see how changing the properties to bungalows should make any difference as there are still problems with flooding on this land along with the extreme lack of infrastructure.”

Liam Tandy, who also lives in Nelson Avenue, is concerned about the development being built on a steep hill.

Objecting to the project, he wrote: “This is a relatively small field, which is on a steep hill and any new houses built will be able to see directly into the houses and gardens below. It will invade privacy and look horrendous in a beautiful area.”