A last-minute report about air pollution has delayed a decision on 124 homes for Newington, near Sittingbourne.

Swale councillors had been recommended to approve the application on land behind 99 High Street and had been emailed the six-page report written by Professor Stephen Peckham for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) before the discussion on Thursday night.

But the report about nitrogen dioxide levels created by cars and lorries had not been sent to officers.

They said the first they had seen of the document was two hours earlier which had not been long enough for them to study it.

They told members it would be "unwise" to make a decision without hearing expert advice and suggested the application be deferred.

Cllr Andy Booth (Con, Minster Cliffs) who was chairing the committee, said it was “quite significant” officers had not been able to see the report and moved that the application be deferred again. It had already been postponed from March 30.

Members voted unanimously to put it back to the next planning meeting.

The report had been sent in by Richard Knox-Johnston, chairman of CPRE, who had been planning to object.

It had been emailed to councillors by Cllr John Wright (Con, Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch).

Mr Knox-Johnston said after the meeting: “Councillors were warned by their solicitor at the last meeting that they could not turn this application down on air quality grounds as there was no evidence to do so.

“So why, since the professor was a key witness that convinced the Planning Inspector at the Pond Farm inquiry, was he not invited to provide a paper to the officers, bearing in mind his experience and qualifications?”

Newington parish council had previously objected to the plans and Cllr Stephen Harvey had also been planning to speak.

The application is for two-storey two, three and four-bedroom homes and one and two-bedroom apartments in two three-storey blocks on land between the A2 and the railway line.

There is to be a new access from the High Street and a pedestrian and cycle link to Church Lane.