A plan to build 142 homes in Halfway was narrowly approved despite concerns over flooding and increased traffic.

A decision on the proposed development on the site of the former HBC Engineering in Power Station Road, which would also provide spaces for 225 cars, had been deferred from a previous Swale council planning meeting on November 20.

The application was discussed again at a committee meeting last night .

Sean Walsh spoke at the meeting on behalf of residents objecting to the proposal and said Southern Water had stated additional sewers or improvements to the existing system would be required to provide sufficient capacity for more homes.

He said they had “passed a vote of no confidence” in Kent Highways after it found no grounds to refuse the application.

John Michael Rees, managing director of TBH (Sheerness) Ltd, the group which owns the land in Power Station Road, said that the under the government’s National Planning Policy Framework there was a presumption in favour of granting applications on previously developed sites.

He said the increase in traffic from the homes would be “almost half” that which the site’s existing lawful industrial use allowed.

Cllr Mick Constable (Lab) said: “I will definitely be voting against simply because if you live there you see the problems. I know KCC have put forward their reasons for it but it is just not going to work.”

Cllr Peter Marchington (Con) said: “Halfway and Minster cannot take any further development with the infrastructure as bad as it is.

“Until the infrastructure to get on the Island is improved we cannot give any permission to any development.”

Cllr Mike Henderson (Lib Dem) said: “We are talking here about a major brownfield site and we are quite rightly supposed to be looking to redevelop brownfield sites before we start approving greenfield sites.

“I accept totally that the road infrastructure is bad but let’s not lose sight of the fact that somebody could come along tomorrow with an industrial use it would increase the traffic usage that we have today by more than if the site were used for houses.”

Cllr Bryan Mulhern (Con) said since the application was for outline planning permission, once a detailed plan was submitted there would be another chance to look at sewage and traffic problems.

The motion to grant approval was carried by a vote of seven in favour and six against.