Fears have been raised that a new housing development on the edge of a village could disturb an Anglo-Saxon cemetery.
Developers want to build 11 new homes on the eastern edge of Great Mongeham, near Deal, but an objector claims it is too close to the ancient burial ground.
A resident believes the proposals off Northbourne Road would potentially harm the historic site, which is located just a few hundred metres away.
Tracey Wilkins wrote on the Dover District Council planning portal in response to the planning application, saying: “The proposed development site lies within an area of significant archaeological importance.
“This is close to the historic core of Great Mongeham and just 400 metres from a scheduled Anglo-Saxon cemetery.”
She said an archaeological desk-based assessment identified a high potential for medieval and Anglo-Saxon remains and a moderate potential for Iron Age evidence.
Ms Wilkins said: “Given the area’s proximity to St Martin’s Church and other historic assets, development could irreversibly disturb undiscovered archaeological materials.”
The cemetery is about 400 metres south west of the site and is classed as a Scheduled Monument, a nationally important archaeological site protected by law to prevent unauthorised changes.
Consultants RPS Consulting Services Ltd carried out the assessment and produced a report for the development’s applicants which concluded there would be “no potential impacts” to the burial ground.
The document said: “No potential impacts to the significance of this designated archaeological asset are identified as arising from the proposed development.
“This Scheduled Monument will not be notably changed by the proposed development.”
The Anglo-Saxon era in England is regarded to be from 476AD until the Norman invasion of 1066.
The Angle and Saxon people were tribes heralding from what is northern Germany today.
Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.
Pentland Homes, based in Etchinghill near Folkestone, has applied for full planning permission to build 11 houses plus 29 car parking spaces, on 0.9 hectares of open land.
The houses would be no more than two storeys high, eight with four bedrooms and three with five bedrooms.
In total, nine members of the public have commented on the portal, all objecting.
In addition to concerns about the Saxon cemetery, other residents have raised concerns such as road safety.
Christopher Kirby’s response to the DDC planning portal described the site as a “completely inappropriate location for housing”, adding: ”The road is already dangerous, vehicles emerging from a newly created junction will be at risk.”
Andrew Howard-Grigg added: “In recent years, there have been several road accidents, two within 30 metres of the proposed entrance to this new development.
”They were caused by speeding traffic and vehicles coming around the bend and having to avoid parked vehicles or those coming in the opposite direction.“
He added that there was no public transport from the site or within a 10 to 15-minute walk.
A statement by application consultants DHA Planning said consulting engineers concluded the development provided a safe and suitable access to neighbouring roads.
The conclusion by DHA said: “Additional traffic demand resulting from the proposed development results in a minimal and non-severe residual impact on the surrounding highway network.”
The consultants stressed that each home had two parking spaces and a car barn and the site would have four visitor spaces.
