A Gypsy family of 14 hoping to make an abandoned plot of land their new home could yet see their dreams dashed if a rival bid to turn it into a car park is given the green light.

An application was last month submitted to host four touring caravans, a mobile home and a welfare trailer on the former coal yard next to Pluckley railway station near Ashford.

Planning documents reveal a local scrap metal dealer wants to move onto the derelict site in Station Road with his wife and 12 children.

But alternative proposals are now on the cards as the owner of the plot has lodged a bid to turn it into a 20-space car park alongside five new houses.

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) is set to rule on both applications in the coming weeks - but the landowner will ultimately decide if any approved plans go ahead.

Andrew Kirk, who lives in London, bought the brownfield land in 1997 and has long harboured ambitions to develop it.

"I have been trying to do something at the site for many years," he said.

"So an application has been in the pipeline for some sort of use for a while, but there has always been an issue with access to it and its proximity with the railway line.”

Mr Kirk had been notified by representatives of the Gypsy family of their plans for the Pluckley site, with nothing to stop someone applying to develop land they do not own.

But he is remaining tightlipped on whether he will allow the residential scheme to be delivered should his car park plan be rejected.

People living in the village remain divided over what the land should be used for.

When the original plans were submitted, some locals told KentOnline the site would better serve the village as a car park, citing congestion caused by commuters forced to leave their cars in the surrounding streets.

But 73 of the 90 representations so far made to ABC about the Gypsy family’s proposals are in support of the scheme.

However, a planning agent acting for Mr Kirk says the car park proposal would have a more positive impact on the village.

"The overall site should accommodate parking to serve Pluckley railway station in line with the Pluckley Neighbourhood Plan,” said chartered town planner Trevor Gasson.

"This will not only alleviate the present dangerous on-road parking in the vicinity of the station arising from increased demand from commuters, but also provide the opportunity for more accessible use of the station - not least for those with disabilities."

Resident Michael Worrow, of Dering Close, is among those who also believe Mr Kirk’s plan is a more “logical” use for the land.

"It's a much better idea for the site to be used as parking,” he said.

"It should help with the congestion by easing some of the pressure along Station Road and making it safer.

"Depending on how expensive it is, I'd like to think the commuters will stop parking on the roads.

"It's one big mess at the minute, with a line of cars stacked along there and lorries going up and down.

"We've all lived here for years expecting that piece of land to be for parking at some point because of how logical it would be."

However, Pluckley’s Melanie Condon says any form of building on the plot is simply illogical.

She explained: “I absolutely object to this proposal.

“We are the owners of the two lodges which would back onto this development.

“The access to the coal yard would be very dangerous to our tenants living in the lodges, which are next door.

“There will be many, many accidents putting any development on the coal yard.”

Network Rail has confirmed the plot was previously earmarked for parking and was going to be managed by National Car Parks (NCP) before an arrangement fell through.

Pluckley station currently has one car park for rail passengers, with space for 50 vehicles.

Drivers using it have to fork out £5.40 per day, £22.90 for a weekly ticket or £873 for an annual permit.

Station Road homeowner Joseph Casbolt insists the lack of spaces is forcing commuters to park unacceptably in Pluckley.

The 83-year-old retiree said: “Our main concern is the lack of footpaths as you can't walk down the main road anymore with the number of cars.

“We [also] have people asking to park on our drive. We’re the forgotten village.”

A decision on the Gypsy family’s application is expected by August 29, while the car park proposal is set to be decided by September 6.