A meeting was held to decide whether to allow 14 homes to be built on the site of a former garage.

An application by Moats Homes to build four three-bedroom houses, seven two-bedroom houses, two two-bedroom bungalows and a two-bedroom bungalow for a disabled person in Bay View was discussed at a Swale council planning committee meeting on February 19.

The 0.35 hectare site, on the corner of Leysdown Road and Danes Drive, is a vacant concrete plot. Residents will remember it as Bay View Garage when it was used for vehicle repairs and the sale of caravans and petrol.

The development would all be affordable homes with off-road parking and it was recommended for approval by planning officers before the meeting.

Moat has agreed a total contribution of more than £14,000 to be split between Kent County Council, Swale Greenspaces and Swale Wheelie Bins as part of its bid with some of that fund going to Swale council for fees.

Approval would depend on the resolution of a Section 106 agreement which is being prepared – where funds would be put aside for community use.

The land is potentially contaminated due to its previous use as a petrol station and workshop and an assessment of how any hazardous material would be safely dealt with would also need to be agreed before any work starts.

The application has received some opposition in the form of a petition, signed by 24 people while other concerns submitted include the houses being out of character for the area, existing schools and doctors services being put under extra strain and traffic safety concerns.

Leysdown Parish Council has objected to the project on the grounds that it believes the development is over-intensive and there is a lack of parking.

Swale council’s planning committee decided a site meeting was needed before a ruling could be made on the application.

It took place on Monday. The next planning committee meeting will be held on March 12.

Leysdown parish councillor Pat Sandle said: “To put more family homes there doesn’t make sense.

“There’s no decent bus service, there’s no jobs and the school is full up already.”

Fellow councillor Geoffrey Partis raised concerns about the number of accidents on Leysdown Road.