Councillors have refused plans to build up to 1,750 homes in a Kent beauty spot.

The garden village, named Binbury Park, was proposed at the former Detling Aerodrome site, north of the A249 between Maidstone and Sittingbourne.

The scheme, submitted by Quinn Estates, also included a provision for commercial space, a primary school, shopping centre, health centre, hotel, sports pitches and country park.

There was also the promise of a park and ride scheme and improvements to Junction 7 of the M20.

But Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) officers recommended that its planning committee should reject the plan, due to its lack of sustainability.

The 125-page report described it as a “heavily car dependent scheme that fails to make a positive contribution to climate change objectives."

It also raised concerns about the site’s location in the Kent Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

It stated: “The council has a duty to afford great weight to conserving and enhancing the scenic beauty of the AONB.

“The proposals would result in the urbanisation of a significant area of the AONB and would result in great harm to its special qualities.”

The report went on: “The proposals would result in the loss of ancient woodland, which is considered to be an irreplaceable asset.

“There are no reasons put forward which could be described as wholly exceptional for allowing the irreplaceable habitat losses.”

The scheme was formally rejected after going before MBC's planning committee at Maidstone Town Hall yesterday.

Cllr Steve Munford (Ind, Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton) said: "There are some good aspects to the scheme, however we have to prove a need, and there is no need.

"Even after we have identified a need, we would have to prove that this could not be done elsewhere in the borough, and under landscape that is not protected."

Cllr Anne Brindle (Con, Boxley) said that she agreed with a lot of what had been said on both sides of the discussion.

"Yes, it is a well crafted development, providing housing, leisure, schooling and improvements to the highway network.

"But, the whole of this development lies within the AONB. I accept that parts of it might not be very 'pretty', but it is designated AONB, with the highest level of protection."

Cllr Tony Harwood (Lib Dem, North) said: "It is a site that I know very well, my grandparents lived in Detling.

"There is a significant problem here with this location, not just in landscape terms but also in car dependency terms.

"I don't believe that a rural location such as this could make public transport work in a sustainable way.

"I also think the status of that site (Delting Aerodrome) essentially as a battlefield, should not be turned into another housing estate."

Cllr Ashleigh Kimmance (Lib Dem, Heath) said: "I agree with a lot of what has been said, but I am swinging with the refusal because it's the right development, but it's in the wrong place."

The outline planning application for the project was initially submitted in October 2018.

Updated plans were filed last December, after the developers attempted to address concerns raised during a public consultation.

The plans were opposed by the Campaign to Protect Rural England, which argued the development would spoil part of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and Thurnham Parish Council.

The committee rejected the plans, with eight votes in favour of the refusal, three against and two abstentions.