Most people imagine that in a democracy the views of their properly elected representatives will prevail.

That doesn't seem necessarily to be the case in Tonbridge and Malling .

Last month, members of the Area 3 planning committee voted by a majority of 18 to four to refuse a planning application from Wates Developments to build 250 homes on a treasured green space in East Malling known as Forty Acres Field.

Council officers, who had recommended approval of the plan, instead ruled that the application should be deferred - so that members could be given a heavy warning on the possible costs of refusal.

They will be asked to vote again at the next meeting of the committee tomorrow (Thursday) when they will be urged to return the "right" decision.

Officers maintain that without being able to demonstrate a five-year housing supply, the borough would lose at appeal, if councillors stuck to their refusal, running up heavy costs.

However, that was a point that was hammered home to councillors repeatedly during the course of the four-hour debate last July, and the vote to refuse was taken with that knowledge.

The application - which includes the provision of a community centre - is for 18 hectares of farmland to the west of Winterfield Lane, said to be rich with wildlife.

It is hugely controversial, attracting 621 letters of objection and two petitions, each of almost 1,000 signatures.

There were 38 letters in support.

Last month, Cllr Roger Roud (Lib Dem) urged his colleagues to "remember who put you in your position of borough councillor - the residents".

Councillors argued the application could be refused for "prematurity" - it had come when the draft Local Plan was at an advanced stage and would seriously conflict with it and prevent the new Local Plan's adoption in its current form.

The land is not allocated for housing in the borough's adopted Local Plan and in the borough's emerging Local Plan which has been submitted to the planning inspectorate for examination, it is within an area to be reclassified as greenbelt .

Wates has already lodged an appeal just on the basis that because of the deferral the council had failed to determine the application within the allotted time.

The planning committee, which starts at 6.30pm, will be held online but members of the public can watch here .

Planning application number 19/01814 refers.

Head to our politics page for expert analysis and all the latest news from your politicians and councils.

Read more:All the latest news from Tonbridge

Read more: All the latest news from Malling