Whitfield: New homes will turn village into town, residents say

Villagers argue Whitfield will lose its identity because of proposed housing developments

Concerned residents fear their "lovely" village could be transformed into a town after a developer unveiled plans for 445 homes.

Property firm Danescroft said the proposed new estate in Whitfield, near Dover, would supply "beautiful" houses to meet soaring demand.

But a planning application has faced opposition, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Dover District Council (DDC) must meet "advisory" government housing targets.

"You are taking a lovely village and trying to turn it into a town," resident Simone Wigmore wrote to DDC.

"The roads are already chaos during school drop-off and pick-up times."

Danescroft submitted the plans on 20 December, seeking full planning permission for 88 homes, and outline permission for 357 more.

It said 30% of the homes would be earmarked as affordable housing.

The council must meet "advisory" government housing targets, Michael Gove said in December

But resident Marc Stanley said he was "bitterly disappointed" with DDC's apparent "constant push for development".

"The village is becoming more like Hawkinge and will soon lose its village status/identity," he said.

Under the council's local plan, 5,750 homes are slated for the parish.

It must meet government housing targets unless it can provide "rigorous" evidence as to why it cannot do so, Housing Secretary Michael Gove said in December.

The area already hosts two schools and a large retail park with two supermarkets, while plans are also in place for a new doctors' surgery.

Danescroft said the estate would "shape into a beautiful new neighbourhood integrated as part of Whitfield".

DDC's planning committee has an internal deadline of 27 April to decide on the application.