A row over parking has led to a decision on the building of a block of flats being delayed.

Plans are in place to demolish Plaza Court in East Street, Sittingbourne, which provides sheltered accommodation for the elderly.

A social housing development comprising 10 one and two-bedroom flats is proposed in its place.

The scheme was given the green light by Swale council’s planning committee during a meeting last week.

But residents’ concerns over the potential loss of parking spaces outside the site near the town centre means a final decision has been deferred.

Social housing group AmicusHorizon is the applicant for the two-storey building.

The development includes room for six cars and there are plans to widen the site’s entrance, resulting in the scrapping of two on-street parking spaces.

According to the planning report, the loss “will be compensated for” with two additional spaces on the site.

Speaking at last week’s meeting, Cllr Sylvia Bennett (Con), representative for St Michael’s ward, claimed “six spaces for 10 flats” was not adequate.

She said: “Parking spaces are going to be lost on the main road so this leaves a big parking problem and, for that, I will be voting against the application.”

Cllr Andy Booth (Con), representative for Minster Cliffs ward, said: “I’m very aware that local residents’ parking is an utter nightmare in numerous places, East Street in particular. I’m not happy with it.”

Three letters of objection were received by Swale council when the issue went to public consultation.

One included the view that “local residents have a human right to park remotely near their property”.

Other concerns included the potential for vehicles to be damaged and new tenants would be “noisier than the current elderly residents”.

Planning officers said the site, home to the Plaza Cinema in the 1970s, was a “sustainable location”.

They said it was close enough to the town centre for it not to be necessary to have a car.

Cllr Pat Sandle (Con), representative for Leysdown and Warden ward, said: “We need one and two bedroom flats and housing which is affordable.

“It’s always a pity to lose any parking facilities, but to me the scheme is more important than the parking.”

The committee voted in favour of deferring the decision to review the parking issue.