Thanet could soon be home to more than 4,000 new homes as part of the council’s housing strategy.

Westwood, Birchington, Westgate and Manston Green have been outlined as strategic areas for development with a six-week public consultation beginning on January 5.

Thanet District Council strategic planning manager Ismail Mohammed told Thursday's meeting of the full council: “The council is required to create up to 12,000 homes in the district over the course of the plan and we need strategic and non-strategic areas to achieve this target.

“It was clear from public response that people do not want to see a huge development in the district so strategic sites are needed.

“Policies are also directed at retaining the character and landscape with sustainable development permitting sustainable transport.”

If plans are passed there will be 1,450 new properties in Westwood, 1,000 in Westgate, 1,000 in Birchington and 700 in Manston Green.

To adhere to government demands, 30% of these properties will be for social housing.

With Manston Airport on the agenda, Cllr Bayford raised the question of whether there would be development on the site.

Cllr Richard Nicholson (Lab), cabinet member for housing and planning services, replied: “There have been no requests for housing on the airport site prior to it being closed by Mrs Gloag.

"We look at Manston as an opportunity site designation as part of our area action plan.

“This is a draft plan for housing allocation sites, if you have a problem then say so in the public consultation.”

Farm land to the east and west of Minster Road has been chosen as a strategic site for 700 homes on the Garlinge side and 300 on the Westgate side.

Cllr Tom King (Ind), chairman of the Westgate and Westbrook residents association. said he and many others are concerned about the proposal and the effectiveness of the public consultation.

He said: “A development like this would change the face of this area.

"I am not confident that the public consultation programme is going to do it justice.

“It is a huge responsibility for the council and roadshows, leaflets and websites do not produce a representative response from the community.

“The fairest way to do this is for the council to organise public meetings in the areas most affected – especially as this consultation is only six weeks long.”

Cllr Alasdair Bruce (Con) said he is concerned too.

He said: “I get no reassurance that lessons from previous developments have been learned – our traffic network is precarious and in lockdown from time to time.

“More strain on infrastructure is not good for pedestrians and traffic. I have no confidence in this decision.”

Council leader Iris Johnston (Lab) said: “I would like to point out that government tells us the demand for housing and we must act accordingly.”

Cllr Jack Cohen (Ind) said: “I would just like to say that officers have been first class and their excellent grasp of the situation in a short space of time should be commended.”