Plans have been unveiled for more than 500 homes and a new healthcare facility on the edge of a town.
Housing firm Dandara South East is looking at building an estate on farmland next to Paddock Wood.
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) scoping report has been submitted to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) in relation to the plans.
According to documents submitted in support of the planning bid the proposed development would see around 520 homes in the borough, of which 40% will be earmarked as affordable housing.
Such housing on developments is usually either sold below market rate, as part of shared ownership schemes, or rented at below the local going rate.
The firm says they also intend to build “a local centre”, of up to 700sqm of floorspace, including a healthcare facility.
A small brook runs through the middle of the proposed site, which is seven agricultural fields – with a total size equivalent to about 64 football pitches.
The site is also right next to a railway line to the north.
Cllr Adrian Pitts (Lib Dem), who represents Paddock Wood on the borough council, said the development is “very key” to Paddock Wood because there are sports facilities enhancements, a possible new GP and health centre type arrangement, and where those go are quite important.”
“I think you’ve got to have the infrastructure first,” he added.
“There is a big issue in the background, which is coping with the flooding that area already sees.”
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The councillor added the developers had already had to adapt their plans “considerably” due to this risk.
The scoping report means Dandara South East is asking TWBC to come to an opinion about what the EIA accompanying the full planning application will need to cover
The new report is just a scoping one, so a full application has not yet been submitted to the council.
It is not yet known when a full application will be submitted, or when TWBC will decide on it.
