A woman is refusing to give up her family home of 40 years after it was earmarked for demolition as part of plans to rebuild a social housing complex.

Showfields Estate, in Tunbridge Wells, is set to have 110 of its 284 homes flattened, with 146 to be built in their place.

Developers Town & Country Housing (TCH) say in documents lodged with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) that the new plans “will make a valuable contribution to the borough’s housing stock, which will have social and economic benefits".

However, in June last year, one resident of the estate, Deborah Tivey, wrote to the authority's planning department, saying the housing association had been trying to convince her to sell her home to them for demolition so they could replace it with parking spaces.

“The stress, aggravation and sleepless nights this has caused me over the past 11 months I would not wish on anyone” Mrs. Tivey wrote.

“I have worked hard all my life, paid my mortgage off, and ensured that I have kept my property in good order.

“I am now being instructed that my family home for the last 40 years will be demolished - I feel as if I am getting the short end of the deal here.

“I have not worked all my life to now be in a position where I have to look at having a mortgage at this age.

“I am approaching retirement age, I am looking forward to the later things that life has to offer - with the current world situation we find ourselves in and house prices rocketing I want to be very clear in saying that I will not remove or sell my house unless Town and Country offer me like for like.

“By like for like, I mean a three-bedroom house, with a front and back garden, off-street parking, and very importantly, a location that I desire to reside in, mortgage free, at no cost to me.”

Many residents of the buildings to be demolished are council tenants, though a small number own their properties outright.

“I have not worked all my life to now be in a position where I have to look at having a mortgage at this age."

In a statement, a TCH spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that: “We have had initial discussions with the private homeowners who will be affected by the plans to redevelop the Showfields Estate, and now that scheme has been approved we will meet with them further.

“We take their views on how the development may affect them incredibly seriously, and look forward to working with the whole community to successfully deliver this once-in-a-lifetime transformation at Showfields.”

At the meeting of TWBC’s planning committee on March 22, council planning chiefs recommended members back the scheme.

“The proposal would remove a series of 1970s social housing apartment housing blocks which are at the end of their useful life and can’t be satisfactorily modernised, and which are part of a flawed estate layout which causes issues with parking and antisocial behaviour,” a planning officer told councillors.

TCH’s chief executive Bob Heapy also attended, telling members: “We are committed to improving living conditions on the estate, and have listened and responded to feedback from residents and council officers alike.

“We believe the application represents a sustainable and high quality development, which Tunbridge Wells can be proud of.”

Councillors were told there would be a loss of 35 social rented units and six affordable rented units as part of the scheme.

Cllr Raymond Moon (Lab) argued: “There is far more need for social housing in Tunbridge Wells than affordable housing.

“Affordable housing’s not affordable, not necessarily in Tunbridge Well, so I have reservations on this application.”

However, a council officer responded that any change in the types of homes provided would “without a doubt” affect the financial viability of the scheme.

Other councillors praised the scheme, with Cllr Matthew Bailey (Ind) calling it “a good development that will improve what’s there already.”

TWBC’s planning committee backed the proposals, with nine votes in favour and one against.