Plans to turn a Victorian farmhouse off a prominent roundabout into homes have been turned down - but other developments at the site are to go ahead.

An agricultural building and two barns off Cowstead Corner roundabout on Sheppey are to be demolished and converted as part of a wider scheme.

They are part of Cowstead Farm which sits alongside a key route for drivers heading west towards Sheerness and Queenborough or going east towards Minster and Leysdown.

But the farmhouse itself, built in 1883 and converted in 1999 from a four- to a two-bedroom home, will remain.

Last week (November 5), Swale council turned down plans to knock it down and replace it with six new homes.

The authority refused the application on the basis the site was outside its defined built-up area boundary and within the open countryside which acts as a green gap between surrounding developed areas.

It added the new builds would cause a “significant and harmful” impact on the landscape of the area.

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Cowstead Farm was one of five lots in the area which went up for sale in 2022 for more than £2.5 million and was bought by developer Sheppey Gateway.

The 28 acres of land – the size of around 21 standard 11-a-side football pitches – was valued at £1.25 million and consists of nine different buildings.

On October 28, plans were approved to demolish the large agricultural building at the front of the property (Block I) and convert two barns (Blocks B and C) to provide three new homes.

It brings the total number to be built at the site to seven.

Buildings A and F will be two three-bed homes and a two-bedroom house respectively. Plans for a further home at Block C had already been approved.

The developer has also submitted a separate application for two of the other buildings – E and G – to be demolished for 15 car parking spaces for the homes that would be inside car barns.

There are currently no plans for building H as this is already a home, or building D.

Meanwhile, another of the five lots sold in 2022, Lot 2, was also purchased by Sheppey Gateway which plans to build a business park which would bring between 94 and 400 jobs to the area.

That set of proposals includes 24 commercial units as well as a retail outlet and a drive-thru.

The other three plots are parts of Cheyney and Minster Marshes – Lot 3 and Lot 4 respectively – and Cowstead Farm Cottages – lot 5.