Councillors have opted to delay making a decision on a five home development due to concerns about parking and noise.

Proposals have been put in to Swale council to build houses next to the village hall in Shellness Road/Wing Road, Leysdown.

In the past, the village hall committee had tried to buy the land to turn it into additional parking spaces but now P and G Taylor Ltd, which owns the site, has made the application to develop it.

Members of the planning committee had already chosen to go and visit the area, which they did earlier this month, but were unable to decide whether to approve it at a meeting on Thursday after being shown pictures of a suggested acoustic barrier.

The images were of a wooden-panelled garden fence and questions were raised about how it would keep sound out.

Ward member Cllr Pat Sandle said she believes five homes would be an over development of the site and compared it to ‘putting a quart in a pint pot’.

She also said the suggested 2.2m fence will shut out all the natural light to the hall.

“I can’t support this,” she said.

“The hall is being used all the time and you know that as soon as people move into those properties, they buy them without looking at the consequences and the parking problems – they will be complaining they can’t get in and out.

“I don’t know what the answer is but certainly not more houses.
“It’s not an ideal place to put homes.”

Other councillors voiced fears that any residents who bought the new houses would also complain about noise from the nearby Nutts Farm holiday park.

Residents spoke at the site visit about worries with increased traffic, parking problems and that there are would not be enough doctors or schools to support new people.

The committee decided to discuss the application at a future meeting once they have more details about the acoustic fence and requested an environmental health officer be present to answer questions.