Precious publicly owned green spaces and a town centre’s car parks could be sold off to help meet housing targets, a council has decided.

Tonbridge and Malling council has approved 10 sites it owns in the borough for possible re-development, while ruling out 11 others.

One of the most controversial is the green area off Russett Close in Aylesford, which was earmarked as having the capacity for 23 homes.

It can be reached via an alleyway adjacent to the Holtwood Farm Shop on the London Road.

Green space campaigner Daniel Markham described the decision as “shocking.”

He said: “This is a lovely little space used by residents for dog-walking and picnics.

“You see people playing football, and occasionally a gentleman doing an outdoor physiotherapy class with a couple of clients.

“It’s a quiet space, protected by trees, even though its right next to the London Road.

“I bet the some of the members of the committee who decided to sell this off, have never even been here.”

The decision has caused an outcry on social media, with Donna Hook one of many to slam the decision.

“This beautiful little park which I walk through often is full of wildlife,” she fumed.

“What is wrong with the system that this even gets onto paper as a proposal?”

The site was one of a number of plots owned by TMBC, which were identified by consultants tasked with preparing an “Urban Capacity Study”, as having the ability to be converted to housing.

The aim is to build more houses in the urban area to take the pressure off the local authority to allow more homes to be built in the countryside when drafting its next Local Plan.

The council’s finance, regeneration and property scrutiny committee met earlier this month to consider whether or not to allow the sites to go forward for possible inclusion in the Local Plan.

The committee’s chairman, Cllr Dan Harman (Con), said that just because the committee might approve sites to go ahead, it did not necessarily mean they would be developed.

The decision was just the first in a series of stages.

But the council’s head of property, Stuart Edwards, said if any site ended up included in the plan, it would be easier to obtain planning permission for it.

Other green spaces which were approved for possible development included two areas off Tudeley Lane in Tonbridge, identified for 15 houses between them, and one at Upper Haysden Road, which was identified for 13 homes.

The committee also considered the possible disposal of six town centre car parks: Sovereign Way Mid, Sovereign Way North, Sovereign Way East, Angel East, Angel West and Vale Road.

It unanimously agreed all could be disposed of after hearing they were all subject to an ongoing town centre asset review which would decide which car parks were still needed.

The committee was told there was “over capacity” in the borough’s car parks following the pandemic.

Another controversial proposal – that the borough dispose of the car park at the Larkfield Leisure Centre – was dropped after it was pointed out by Cllr David Thornewell (Lib Dem) that not only was the car park often at capacity and was essential to the operation of the leisure centre, but it was owned by East Malling and Larkfield Parish Council, and only leased by the borough.

A webcast of the meeting can be viewed here.

Mr Markham added: “These decisions may be as the chairman said be only the first stage, but once wheels have been set in motion they can become very difficult to stop.”