Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) will work with a government body on a controversial housing scheme.

Councillors approved a collaboration agreement with Homes England to bring about a development near Lenham for 5,000 homes, known as Heathlands.

The garden community is part of MBC’s draft Local Plan Review (LPR), which sets out the council’s proposals for shaping the growth of the borough until 2037, in order to meet government set housing numbers.

The LPR has yet to be given final approval by a government inspector.

MBC has been acting as master developer for the Heathlands, and has taken the lead on promoting the site's inclusion in the LPR.

Documents presented to the MBC policy and resources committee last week outlined the how the new agreement with Homes England will work.

The pair will work together to continue promoting the site for inclusion in the LPR. If the site is allocated for residential development in the plan, the pair will then try to secure planning permission, with Homes England the leading force.

If planning permission is obtained, Homes England will take the lead and be responsible for delivering key site-wide infrastructure and "disposing" of plots to developers.

In terms of cost, councillors agreed MBC would pay half of the approximately £3m required to secure planning consent. Homes England would pay the other half.

A report says MBC would recover its initial £1.5m investment through planning uplift as the land is sold off.

Heathlands has been met with objections from nearby residents, with opposition group Save Our Heathlands (SOHL) describing the proposals as "undeliverable and unviable".

Speaking at the meeting before a decision was made, Gail Duff, from SOHL, said: "Tonight's decision on Heathlands has the potential to place an inreversible significant financial obligation this council cannot afford.

"You will decide whether to do go into contract with Homes England and risk £1.5m of Maidstone tax payer's money to continue working up plans which local people can already tell you are unsustainable, undeliverable and unviable."

William Cornall, director of regeneration and place said the agreement allows "maximum influence for the council when establishing the blue print for Heathlands in year one to five.

"Homes England will take the lead post planning consent but MBC still retain influence on all matters and will remain instrumental in terms of the eventual stewardship of the new community."

Previously, 18 landowners have called for their land, which covers 63 acres, to be removed from the Heathlands proposal.

This now seems likely. A report presented to the policy and resources committee said it is "probable that all 18 landowners that had previously requested that their landholdings be removed from the proposal, can be obliged."

An updated version of the Local Plan Review, known as the stage 3 masterplan, is expected this month.

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