A new 900-home village opposite a shopping centre will "ruin" the countryside, opponents have claimed after councillors gave the development the green light.

Westwood Village - which also includes a school, businesses, hotels, restaurants and bars - was discussed at a special meeting of Thanet District Council's (TDC) planning committee on Tuesday.

The proposals by developers Greenacre Thanet will see the new village built on fields between Haine Road and Manston Court Road over the next decade.

But opponents fear a dangerous precedent to develop on farm land will be set from accepting the proposals ending in the area being ruined forever.

Peter Lorenzo, from the Broadstairs Society, said the loss of agricultural land worried members along with increasing traffic.

The society was one of the community groups opposed to the plans - alongside the Margate Civic Society which also raised concerns.

Mr Lorenzo said: "We were concerned about it mainly because of the effect of traffic on Broadstairs and we're still concerned about it.

"It's a shame but there we are and we're going to have to live with it.

"There's the loss of the agricultural land. They [developers and the council] have done it before and will do it again. It will ruin the place eventually."

Mr Lorenzo said the society was unlikely to appeal the decision because of the difficulty of succeeding "except on legal grounds".

The plans had won the backing of TDC planners and councillors who asked councillors to accept the development in principle.

But planning officers need to agree conditions with the developers around 44 technical aspects and funding arrangements for services before formal planning permission is awarded.

TDC recieved 10 objections to the plans including those from the Broadstairs Society and concerns from Margate Civic Society.

Sir Roger Gale, MP for North Thanet, also objected with concerns about the plans intruding on to neighbouring land.

Both parish councils - St Peters and Broadstairs Town Council and Manston Parish Council - said they opposed the plans, which were submitted to TDC last February.

Annabel Hemmings, the planning officer for TDC, said the plans were acceptable but asked for councillors to defer the decision to council officers to iron out details with Greenacre.

In her 60-page report, Ms Hemmings said: "The provision of up to 900 dwellings would make a significant contribution to the district's housing supply, supporting economic and social dimensions of sustainable dimensions with employment provided through construction of the site.

"In principle the development would not result in significant harm to the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers.

"An indicative masterplan has been submitted to demonstrate how the 900 residential units, school and other commercial and retail development could be accommodated within the site.

"The development provides social benefits through the provision of a new primary school, contributions to education, social and health care agreed by the applicant."

Ms Hemmings added the development would include 30% affordable housing and that those factors led to "significant weight attached in favour of the application".

Planning policy being drafted by TDC says the site can take up to 1,200 new homes with another site off Old Haine Road having capacity for a further 250 homes.