A developer’s plans to expand a popular holiday park have been thrown out amid concerns the area is a “perpetual building site.”

Preston Park Holiday Park in Manston near Ramsgate launched proposals for 110 more caravans pitches on top of 202 existing plots.

Kent Leisure Parks’ bosses argued in official papers developing farmland to the southeast would boost the nearby economy.

But Thanet District Council planning chiefs snubbed the scheme on Wednesday stressing the agricultural land is too important to lose.

Cllr Mike Garner (Green) told the chamber: "My main issue is that this application would result in the significant loss of agricultural land and significant harm to the countryside.

"We often look at applications for housing on agricultural land allocated in the local plan, so we don't have the option to refuse on the loss of agricultural land.

"In this case, it isn't allocated, and it is within our power to refuse unless benefits are provided, and I don't think it's been demonstrated.

"I don't think we have any choice but to recommend refusal."

Before its plans were voted down, Kent Leisure hoped each new pitch would have parking and an additional visitor car park.

The firm’s bosses, who also run Dog and Duck Leisure Park in Plucks Gutter between Monkton and Preston, said they hoped to create five full-time jobs with the expansion.

They told KentOnline before the planning committee meeting that “although the Preston Park development looks large, it is not.”

“The problem we have at the moment is the site is effectively shrinking - caravans have got bigger, and every time we add one, it's costing us two spaces,” they added.

“Over the years, we have lost more than 30 plots, so all we are aiming to do is replace the plots we have lost and have room to expand in the future.

“We have a 12-month licence, which really encourages holidaygoers all year round and brings money into the area, especially in Manston where their secondary spend is quite huge.”

But the lead up to the crunch meeting saw residents raise concerns over how additional development will negatively impact their village.

Speaking to KentOnline, Rex Goodban, 81, who has farmland nearby, said: “Living in Thanet, not just Manston, we’re living in a perpetual building site - it's just road closure after road closure.

“There is almost always a long procession of parked commercial vehicles, and it narrows the road - so the one place where two vehicles can park reasonably safely is obstructed.

“All other caravan parks I observe have adequate camping parking in their compounds, but that doesn’t appear to be the case here.

“I don't think the use of the site is predominately tourism; the fact the same vehicles are parked outside day in and day out seems to indicate to me they are residential for 10 months of the year.”

Across Kent, one perception is the county is being hidden beneath an ever-expanding carpet of housing however, only four districts have more than 10% of their land developed.

But Thanet ranks second in Kent for the amount of land developed with 22%, which is above the national average.

Yet councils continue to give the green light for new housing to be built on agricultural land earmarked for development in local plans.

In February, controversial plans for 250 homes between Nash Road and Manston Road in Margate were granted approval despite concerns raised over pupil safety by a nearby primary school.

Also, plans are in the pipeline for a sprawling estate a stone’s throw from Westwood Cross, which will look to add 1,400 homes to the area under TDC’s local plan.

The overhaul of farmland along Manston Court Road has been approved for its first phase, known as Westwood Village One. This will add 900 houses, and developers plan to break ground next year.

A secondary scheme for the remaining 500 is still awaiting approval from TDC after being submitted in December last year and will also include a new secondary school.