Dozens of protestors gathered outside the Town Hall yesterday evening but they were unable to stop an application to build 110 homes in their village.

Maidstone council’s planning committee voted in seven - five in favour of the development, which will be built on arable land to the north of Heath Road.

There was one abstention in the vote.

Villagers campaigning against the scheme were joined by Maidstone and the Weald MP Helen Grant for the protest.

An outline application to build 62 homes on land encroaching into a conservation area was also approved, but by a narrow margin.

Developer Chailey Homes intends to build the properties on the Postley Road extension, which borders the Loose Valley Conservation Area.

Councillors voted five - three in favour of the development, with three abstentions.