Villagers are fuming that a controversial housing development dubbed “millionaire’s row” has finally been given the go-ahead.

Their anger follows permission being granted 14 years after plans for a new development on a former orchard in Wickhambreaux, near Canterbury, first emerged.

Developers initially proposed building on the Pear Orchard meadow off The List in 2010 but this was turned down.

Now though, seven new homes put forward by another developer - and refused twice before - have been granted approval.

A village action group has been fighting the renewed versions proposed by Rogate Properties for the past five years after branding it “millionaire’s row”.

But Canterbury City Council’s planning officers have now granted the latest, but almost identical application to the first, using their delegated powers.

Wickhambreaux Action Group founder Ana Thomson says villagers are “deeply concerned” this second version of the scheme has been approved despite the previous rejections.

"It was opposed by the people of the village, and parish council and was previously rejected by Canterbury City Council and then the Planning Inspectorate,” she says.

“Pear Orchard is designated as countryside which is not for development in the current draft Local Plan but the plan hasn’t been formally adopted yet so it only got through on a temporary loophole.

“The people of the village have been denied their say and feel that the system has failed them.”

The action group says it is now “reviewing its options”.

Group members were also concerned about the traffic implications of funneling extra vehciles down a very narrow lane where schoolchildren walk.

They point to the report of the experienced transport consultant they commissioned which concluded there are "serious public traffic safety concerns" in relation to the proposed development.

But KCC Highways did not object to the application.

And the city council says its previous concerns, which were presented at the developer’s appeal, including a lack of ecology impact information, insufficient community infrastructure contributions and no affordable housing in the scheme, have all been addressed.

In fact, the only ground which led to the planning inspector dismissing the appeal was the affordable housing issue which has now been met with a contribution payment by Rogate, says the city council.

And that has led to the application finally being given the green light with development expected to start next year.

An application from another developer first proposed 14 homes in 2010.

This was rejected in 2011 due to concerns it would be too overbearing on the village due to its lack of facilities and public transport and fears of flooding in the area.

Rogate brought plans for seven homes back to the table in 2019 but it was refused by the city council the following March and the developer’s appeal against CCC’s decision was dismissed.

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But Rogate came back with a renewed application in 2021, the version which has now been accepted.

Of the seven luxury properties proposed, two will be replacements for existing ones.

Speaking after the latest decision, Rogate property director John Showler dismissed claims the scheme should not go ahead because the land is designated as countryside.

He argued the site is suitable and sustainable and pointed to the fact that neither the city council nor the planning inspector found the location as grounds for refusal.