Controversial plans to build 300 houses on green land - which residents say could “put lives at risk” - were revived at a planning inquiry this week.

Kitewood Estates’ proposals for Whitstable, which received almost 1,000 objections, were snubbed by Canterbury City Council in March at a planning committee because the developers failed to demonstrate emergency access to the site.

But at the planning inquiry into the Grasmere Gardens development in Whitstable, the council withdrew its opposition as Kitewood brought forward fresh plans to include secondary access.

The scheme comprises up to 300 homes on 17 hectares of land south of Ridgeway and the John Wilson Business Park. It includes 3,500 sq m of standalone employment space or 1,000 sq m of employment space and a new primary school.

It would also feature a car park, overspill car park, pumping station, cycle ways, a community hub, open space - with a children’s play area - and a “café / restaurant / bar”. There are detailed proposals for the first 140 dwellings - which would be built on the site which is designated as agricultural land.

Residents at the inquiry voiced their fierce objections to the plans because of the potential “enormous and dangerous traffic problems”, flooding risks, loss of green space and access to the site - issues which were also raised at the planning committee in March.

Gerard Jakamavicius, who represented Richmond Road residents at the inquiry, says only “chaos could result” from the development.

“This is simply a multi-flawed and multi-risk site,” he said.

“Lives would be put in danger, something that Kitewood seem to ignore.

“The developers have had two-and-a-half years to find solutions to these problems and they have failed to do so.

“We believe the council notice seriously understates what was said and agreed by the planning committee.”

The new proposals are for vehicles to access the development through Reeves Way, with emergency access available from residential Richmond Road via a “triangle” of unregistered land.

'We will see more accidents, we will see more deaths' - Mark Boardman

Kitewood argued it owns the land. The council said it was not in control of the developers but emergency access would be adopted in any event.

Mark Boardman, also representing residents at the inquiry, said: “The councillors were very clear that there were numerous grounds for rejecting.

“They said in the meeting that the council officers should add those grounds to the rejection notice. They didn’t do it and as a result the developers turned up here with only one issue to deal with which is the emergency access.

“The lack of an emergency access or a lack of an adequate one means if there is flooding next to the river on the main access next to Reeves Way, it could lead to people dying. When you get floods, you also get fires, gas leaks and explosions.

“If you increase the volume of traffic by 1,000 journeys a day, we will see more accidents, we will see more deaths and the cycle path they are bringing in will become a target range.”

The council has received 985 comments opposing the development over a number of consultation periods since the plans were first put forward.

Objections were submitted by Chestfield Parish Council, Grasmere Village Residents’ Association, Save Our Pastures and Chestfield’s Environment and Richmond Road Residents.

Representing Kitewood, Stephen Morgan said at the inquiry that an “acceptable development would be achieved”.

He said: “It would be a well-designed development with significant public open space on the eastern part and would integrate very well with the adjacent urban area. It would deliver much-needed housing, including affordable housing, and economic development and benefits.”

A decision will be made in the next few months.

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