A council has opposed a controversial 145-home development amid fears of creating 'urban sprawl'.

Tenterden Town Council discussed the Wates Developments scheme at a meeting, which could see a new estate built between Woodchurch Road and Appledore Road.

Constructed alongside the dozens of houses would be a community clubhouse, football pitches and outdoor exercise and play equipment.

The hybrid application also outlines a 21.4-acre country park and community orchard.

A rejected original application for the currently undeveloped land featured 250 houses – however Tenterden residents and the town council still oppose the principle of building on the site.

The town council's planning committee chairman Cllr John Crawford said the revised scheme would place unacceptable pressures on the town – in particular Ivy Court Surgery – and would result in traffic gridlocks, particularly with parking outside schools.

He also quoted housing minister Robert Jenrick stating that house-building should not come at the expense of green spaces.

Saying that it wouldn't benefit Tenterden's economy or community, Cllr Crawford summarised that the plans would result in “urban sprawl”, adding "there is simply no justification for them".

Planning committee vice-chair Cllr Kate Walder (Ind) noted that while some nearby organisations would benefit from developer funding, she asked: "As the diggers roll in, these groups might ask themselves 'is it worth it?'”

Tenterden mayor Cllr Lisa Lovelidge called plans for a country park "laughable" and thanked residents and groups for their work in opposing the scheme.

Meanwhile Ashford Borough Councillor Callum Knowles (Con) queried the provision of sports pitches, when the land could already be used for football and cricket, and listed a series of breaches of national planning protocols.

Others noted its frequent flooding and its 100-year-long use as a centre for the town's army cadet force.

Siggi Nepp – representing Tenterden and District Residents Association – said the proposed development was “completely unsustainable”, and that Tenterden Schools Trust which owns part of the land did not have permission from the Department of Education to sell it.

She also feared potential contamination to the site’s eco-system.

A letter from the Limes Land Protection Group said that if the development went ahead it would mean that within 10 years, when combined with other planned developments, more than 120 acres of the town would have been built on “which is not sustainable for the town”.

Following the discussion, the Tenterden Town Council planning committee opposed the proposal last week, which is yet to be decided on by Ashford Borough Council.

After the meeting, Ashford MP Damian Green said: "Preserving Tenterden's beauty is an absolute priority, so any new development needs to be very carefully considered and that's what our councils do with each individual proposal.

"You can't keep anywhere in aspic, you can't keep it completely unchanging otherwise you'll never give people - particularly young people from Tenterden – the chance of getting a house in the area.

"So all areas need sensitive development but it must be sensitive."

In response to the criticism from the council, a spokesman for Wates Developments said the firm remains "fully committed to land at Appledore Road, Tenterden in the long-term".

"In response to comments made on a previous submission made in 2019, and Ashford having an identified housing need, we are pleased to bring forward a revised scheme for the site," he said.

"The scheme not only provides all the community benefits as previously proposed but also a higher level of affordable homes to help meet the chronic housing need locally for Tenterden.

"The new proposals include 145 new homes of which 50% would be affordable (72 homes) and the community benefits remain extensive with a 8.66 hectare country park, five football pitches, a community clubhouse/pavilion, three outdoor play areas, an outdoor gym and new walkways and cycleways.

"The team looks forward to progressing the proposal with the community, key stakeholders and the local planning authority."

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