A disused site long blighted by vandalism is set to become sheltered accommodation once again - but environmental fears mean it is unclear when building will start.

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) has been working on plans to redevelop its Oakleigh House site in Watercress Lane for the last three years.

The project has now finally been approved but due to issues with water pollution at the Stodmarsh nature reserve near Canterbury - which has delayed housing projects across east Kent - one councillor fears the plot "will sit empty for perhaps 10 or 12 years".

The scheme was refused in September last year after councillors raised concerns about the loss of open space and a lack of parking at the development.

Under the application that was rejected, the development would have included 54 apartments for older people, and 13 for adults with learning difficulties.

The 13 planned apartments for adults with learning difficulties were set to be built on top of open green space next to Cross Stile.

However, since the planning committee gave the loss of open space as a reason for refusal, the new plans have reduced the number of apartments from 13 to five, and moved them instead to be attached to the main development.

In June last year, the South Ashford site fell victim to arson - with two fires being started on the same night at the premises before it was demolished by ABC.

Since the previous application was rejected, ABC ran a consultation on the development, contacting neighbours of the building, and no responses were received.

The council officer leading the development told members: "The high-quality apartments facilitate the right sizing of households, freeing out much needed family accommodation in our stock – which is critical with the high pressure on affordable housing at this moment in time.

"There are 1,700 households currently on our waiting list and 341 of those are households over 50 looking for suitable, right-sized accommodation.”

Another officer told members that the apartments in the scheme would each have private gardens or balconies, and the open space would include shared gardens with seating and space for plants and growing produce.

The block is aimed at being carbon neutral - using ground source heat pumps and solar panels for heat and energy.

The scheme was overwhelmingly supported by members of ABC’s planning committee, with Cllr Brendan Chilton (Lab) hailing the project as “a very good example of when planning works well,” praising the council for changing the development after its initial rejection.

Cllr Chilton suggested the scheme could include one or two more parking spaces, but that “I won’t die in a ditch over that though.”

Cllr Diccon Spain (Lab) praised the scheme’s environmental credentials and open space as “excellent".

Cllr Geoff Meaden (Green), backed the plans, but said that nutrient and pollution readings in local water related to Stodmarsh were “likely to delay completion of the permission to go ahead with building here, it’s going to delay it at least into the mid 30s.”

He added: “Have you investigated the potential of putting in a package treatment plant?

“Because otherwise, presumably when this facility gets built it’ll sit there empty for perhaps ten or twelve years, unless something is done.”

A package treatment plant is essentially a self-contained sewage management system.

Natural England advised ABC in 2021 that new developments must demonstrate “nutrient neutrality” to protect water quality, the local authority began devising a “mitigation strategy” - which will involve the creation of new wetlands.

Since the strategy is yet to be finalised or enacted, planned developments must include nutrient neutrality calculations and means of mitigating contamination - such as package treatment plants.

In response to Cllr Meaden’s concerns, a planning officer said: "It is one of many applications as you’re aware that cannot proceed until we’re in a position to adopt an appropriate settlement.”

The officer added that the development would likely have to wait until the larger solution to the Stodmarsh issue was finalised, and Cllr Shorter told members that “Ashford Borough Council along with partners are well advanced in the delivery of a mitigation strategy".

The planning committee backed the development, with 11 votes in favour and one abstention, at a meeting held last month.