Fears of “traffic Armageddon” have been sparked by plans to build a 300-home estate and huge secondary school on the outskirts of Whitstable.

Proposals are being considered for the sprawling development on land off the Old Thanet Way at Bodkin Farm in Chestfield.

It would be built to the south of the A-road, with the new school potentially having upwards of 1,500 pupils.

But already there has been a wave of opposition, with fears raised about the impact on the often congested stretch between Chestfield and Greenhill.

Particular concern has been highlighted about two proposed accesses to the new estate off the Old Thanet Way.

One would be a traffic light-controlled junction, while the other - about 150 metres closer to Herne Bay - would be a ‘left in, left out’ turning for Whitstable-bound traffic.

In an objection submitted to Canterbury City Council, resident Julie Cutting said: “This road is heavily congested at school times, with traffic backing up from Greenhill roundabout to Garden X.

“This needs to be looked at very closely for the consideration of local people.”

Emma Djemal echoed the concerns, predicting “complete mayhem” for motorists and pedestrians.

“Our stretch of Thanet Way has multiple roundabouts, traffic lights and fast-food drive-throughs, meaning at particular times of the day the already busy Thanet Way becomes a complete nightmare to try to travel on and extremely dangerous for pedestrians,” she said.

“If this development goes ahead, it will cause complete mayhem and anyone needing to travel through the area will not be able to do so without great difficulty.”

Anthony Cotter has also raised safety concerns for pedestrians navigating crossings near the Chestfield roundabout.

“Access across the Thanet Way to the [petrol] station is already perilous at all times for pedestrians,” he wrote.

“The safety railings are hit by cars several times yearly but only spasmodically replaced without thought of more effective solutions that give rise to this dangerous crossing.

“The development will increase the safety risks to pedestrians.”

Kathleen Vane added: “This is another site that will cause traffic Armageddon.

“It is in a dangerous spot, plus there is a lack of amenities.”

The main vehicle access route to the new estate will be via a new signal-controlled T-junction close to the Garden X furniture showroom, on the opposite side of the carriageway.

It will include a single “ahead lane” on the Old Thanet Way, together with right- and left-turn lanes into the site.

A secondary access further towards the Greenhill roundabout is designed as a ‘left in, left out’ arrangement and includes a crossing for pedestrians to join the existing footway on the Old Thanet Way.

The 300 homes would be to the west of the site, while there would also be a retail centre and an 80-bed care home to the north.

First announcing the ambitious scheme in May 2014, Eton College had hoped to erect 300 homes alongside a care home, primary school, hotel, restaurant, health centre and gym.

The city council rejected the private school’s proposals later that year, with the government’s planning inspectorate killing the project completely following an appeal in 2015.

Parker Strategic Land took over the site from the college in June 2017 and has been in talks with both the city council and KCC about the scheme.

The area is included in the district’s draft Local Plan, but only for 250 homes. It has also been earmarked to host the first of two new coastal secondary schools.

If approved by CCC, the school would be built across 20 acres to the east of the site and have eight-form entry and a sixth form - giving it a role of 1,680 at an average of 30 a class.

But concerns have been raised about whether the school is needed or will ever be built.

Mr Cotter said: “Much is made of the proposed new school part of the development but there is no assurance this is required in this location or if it will ever go ahead.

“If this is a key component of the developer's proposal, the two issues should be inextricably linked to any permission to the extent the residential element should not go ahead unless and until the school element is confirmed.

“If there is no assurance or doubt about the school, the residential element is unwarranted, speculative and opportunistic.”

Parker Strategic Land says the new school would provide “parental choice and much-needed capacity” in the area, “avoiding the need for additional journeys to Canterbury”.

Ben MacPhee wrote in support of the plans, saying: “I strongly support this application to help address the current housing crisis and provide a much needed secondary school, particularly if this is a grammar school and thus meaning children on the coast no longer necessarily need to travel to Canterbury or Faversham for such provision.”

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On the concerns raised about traffic and the school, a spokesperson for Parker Strategic Land said: “Kent County Council has identified a need for new secondary and sixth form capacity in Whitstable to meet both the current and future needs of the community, and Canterbury City Council has twice included the site as a draft allocation in the emerging local plan, most recently just last week.

“The planning application demonstrates that the school and accompanying homes within the allocation can be successfully accommodated. Delivery of the school will be the responsibility of the county council.

“The secondary access is for use of all traffic and while not signal controlled it includes a controlled crossing to join the existing footway along the northern side of Thanet Way.”