Plans to build nine homes on a former garden centre site have been approved despite concerns that none of them will be classed as affordable housing.

Earlier this year, Quinn Estates submitted plans to transform the site in Ringwould, near Deal, following its allocation in Dover District Council’s local plan in 2023.

It came after plans to construct a water bottling facility on the site were finally defeated in 2018 following a two-year battle.

The former Ringwould Alpines Plant Centre closed in 2019 after operating for 35 years.

Concerns were raised about the housing scheme over a lack of affordable housing, its position in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the use of the existing site entrance onto the A258, Dover Road.

But highways chiefs at Kent County Council have not raised any objections regarding the access into the new estate.

Speaking at a meeting of Dover District Council’s planning committee, Ringwould with Kingsdown parish councillor Sharon Hogben said: “With so few details pertaining to scale, form, materials and colour palette of these dwellings, this committee is surely not in a position to determine this application.

“The impact on highways and the busy A258 is a primary concern to our community, and we also note there’s no change to the position of the bus stop and no consideration that traffic has increased since the closure of the garden centre in 2019.

“To use the bus stop opposite the site requires a dangerous crossing of a busy road by pedestrians or a walk of 150m to the nearest crossing.”

She added the parish council was disappointed by the lack of affordable housing, despite their housing needs assessment indicating that it was necessary in the parish.

Applicant Quinn Estates provided evidence that no providers were able to take on the homes at the site, with a fee instead being secured via a legal agreement for DDC to build or purchase them elsewhere.

Committee members were keen to see the plans approved, citing a lack of material considerations to refuse the scheme, despite 48 objections being registered against it.

Cllr James Back (Con) said: “Speakers should remember again that this is an outline. The layout and height of buildings come later.

“This site is allocated in the local plan and KCC have no objections. There are a lot of conditions which must be adhered to before construction. So I move to accept the officer’s recommendation and approve.”

The application was unanimously approved by councillors on June 12 with an amendment added to revisit the discussion regarding on-site affordable housing at the reserved matter stage.

Reacting to the decision, a spokesperson from Quinn Estates said: “We welcome the decision to give outline planning consent for new family homes at the former Ringwould Nursery site.

“We will be providing Dover District Council with a financial contribution towards affordable housing in the district.

“Despite approaches to a number of affordable housing providers, including Dover District Council’s housing team, there has been no expressed interest in on-site provision within this scheme.”

Speaking after the decision, ward councillor Martin Bates remained concerned about whether the committee would be able to review affordable housing when a reserved matters application is submitted.

He feared that if the current National Infrastructure Bill is passed, applications for under nine houses will instead be delegated to planning officers rather than having the chance to be heard before a local authority committee.

Speaking to KentOnline, he said: “It means that the residents in that area, and there's a fair number that are unhappy with this, won't get the opportunity to scrutinise it or ask the planning committee to scrutinise it again.

“So yes, they've noted it on the minutes, but if there's a change in legislation, that might not happen. So that was my main concern.

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“The parish council is still very concerned about the affordable housing issue, particularly for rural workers.

“Purchasing or building elsewhere doesn't really help a small village like Ringwould that has accommodation problems.”