Plans for thousands of new homes on a “precious countryside” site could be delayed once again.

National Highways has raised concerns about the impact 8,400 houses on land near Teynham, Sittingbourne, would have on the nearby M2 and A249.

Quinn Estates originally submitted proposals for around 10,000 homes on land west of the village with additional areas across Highsted Park in 2021.

However, earlier this year, the controversial garden village plans were resubmitted for fewer houses.

Despite a drop in the number of homes the developer is still promising the scheme would include highways and infrastructure works, including the provision of a new motorway junction to the M2.

This is as well as the long-awaited Sittingbourne Southern and Northern Relief Roads, which would reduce traffic flow problems across the area.

But despite these promises, Conservative councillor for Teynham and Lynsted, Julien Speed, says there is no support from the community where the homes would be built.

He said: “This has been going on for years now and the plans are massively unpopular.

“Sittingbourne has some of the worst GP statistics in the country, there is already mass air pollution and these plans will see the developers concreting over our precious countryside.

“People in the area feel really strongly about rejecting these plans. I don’t think Swale council are going to approve these plans in a hurry.”

Last Tuesday National Highways submitted documents recommending the council reject the planning permission for a specified period until October 27. This is to allow Quinn Estates to respond to the highway agency and amend its application accordingly.

Documents sent to the local authority from the highways company explained: “[We have] been appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport as a strategic highway company as the highway authority, traffic authority and street authority for the Strategic Road Network (SRN).

“The SRN is a critical national asset and as such we work to ensure that it operates and is managed in the public interest, both in respect of current activities and needs as well as in providing effective stewardship of its long-term operation and integrity.

“We are concerned with proposals that have the potential to impact on the safe, reliable and efficient operation of the SRN, in this case, particularly within the vicinity of the A249 and M2 in the Sittingbourne and wider area.

“In summary, it is currently not possible to determine whether the applications, individually and/or cumulatively, would have an unacceptable impact on the safety, reliability and/or operational efficiency of the SRN.”

National Highways previously provided a holding recommendation (HR) and Technical Note (TN) in January of this year and say the developer has still not addressed all the outstanding issues raised previously.

A spokesman for the agency added: “We have issued a holding recommendation, as the applicant hasn't yet provided enough evidence for us to fully assess the impacts of the proposals and its mitigation measures.

“Holding recommendations extend over a period of three months and allow the applicant time to submit further evidence. We are expecting further evidence submission from the applicant in the autumn which we will consider in full.

“National Highways hasn't made any recommendations regarding the proposed development at Highsted Park.

“It is not our role to have a view on whether the application is a 'good idea', we simply assess the potential impacts in terms of safety, reliability and operational efficiency that the development could have on our motorways and major A-roads.”

Although there are certain things Swale council is unable to comment on regarding live applications, a spokesman explained statutory agencies are always consulted for their expert views on applications of this nature.

He said: “This application is still to be determined, but the responses of all stakeholders are crucial in providing the relevant information to inform sound planning decisions.”

When asked about how developers could get residents near proposed builds on their side, Cllr Speed said affordable housing is key.

“These developers are building executive homes with big price tags which local people can’t afford,” he explained.

“Double the amount of houses which are needed in the area are actually being built and they’re being erected before the infrastructure is being dealt with.

“I understand that the growing population needs somewhere to live but this isn’t the way to go about it, we need truly affordable houses.

“If this goes ahead Teynham needs something, such as a GP surgery, in return. There is no local support.”

To find out more about the plans enter 21/503906/EIOUT in the Swale planning portal.

A spokesperson for Quinn Estates said: "We are working closely with National Highways to ensure the Southern Relief Road, Junction 5a and completion of the Northern Relief Road meet their requirements.

“We fully agree that any growth in Swale needs to be infrastructure-led, which is why our proposals have been promoted via the Local Plan Review since 2018 to meet the needs of the borough over the next 20 years.

"Highsted Park is the only proposal locally that can deliver the highway infrastructure the borough needs ahead of the housing alongside unlocking thousands of new jobs at the Kent Science Park, providing new GP services, primary and secondary school provision and a new home for Sittingbourne Football Club.

“We truly believe there are no alternative schemes on the table that deliver the infrastructure, homes and jobs required."