New plans for riverside flats next to Ashford Designer Outlet have been redrawn at half the size after the previous scheme was rejected.

Developer Quinn Estates wants to build 90 apartments at its East Stour Park project on a 6.6-acre parcel of land off Norman Road and Romney Marsh Road.

This is the second time plans have been submitted after the first proposal for 212 flats were refused by Ashford Borough Council's planning committee in 2020 by 15 votes to one.

This decision was appealed by the developers, but the case was dismissed by planning inspector Phillip Ware following a hearing last year.

While Mr Ware did acknowledge the scheme would have benefits for the economy and the provision of housing, he refused the development as he felt it would have an adverse effect on the green corridor on which the homes would be built.

Quinn Estates says the designs have now been scaled back in response to the concerns, with just three apartment blocks planned instead of the original six.

If approved, there will be 42 one-bed apartments and 48 two beds in the riverside blocks, which will all be four-and-a-half storeys high.

The 255 parking spaces have been reduced to 108 bays, which will sit below the buildings.

There will also be 90 secure cycle spaces in five cycle stores.

A play area with climbing logs and boulders, which will have direct access off the East Stour River path, is also on the cards.

The buildings will have green roofs, and flood defence measures will be installed to protect the properties and those in nearby Riversdale Road.

Access into the development has also been redesigned.

Previously a new entrance coming off Romney Marsh Road near the footbridge was included, but this has now been removed.

Cars and pedestrians will instead only be able to access the homes off a new junction with Norman Road.

A Quinn Estates spokesman said: "We've listened to local councillors and local people and reduced the scheme significantly to address the concerns over height and mass.

"We've been able to do this while still delivering the flood alleviation benefits the scheme offers."