A huge former Saga office building is set to be turned into new housing - despite fears the area will be "unable to cope" with more homes.

Award-winning architect Hollaway has drawn up plans to convert the Cheriton Parc site on the outskirts of Folkestone into flats and erect houses on the adjacent car park.

If approved, the four-storey building will be converted into 31 flats, while the land currently occupied by the car park will accommodate 36 houses, along with 19 further flats.

Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) is expected to wave through the proposals next week, but residents fear the surrounding roads will be badly affected by the development, which includes 22% affordable housing.

Commenting on FHDC's planning portal, resident Luke Stephens says "the current infrastructure isn't able to cope".

"GP waiting times are long, local hospitals are under pressure, crime is on the rise," he said.

"Congestion around Tesco and the railway bridge is beyond a joke."

The proposal, submitted by MTH Cheriton Parc Ltd, has been recommended for approval by FHDC planning officers ahead of a meeting of the authority's planning committee on Tuesday.

“The provision of 86 dwellings would make a valuable contribution towards the council’s housing supply, including the provision of much-needed additional affordable housing,” the officers’ report reads.

"While the site is protected for employment use, it has been demonstrated the site is no longer viable for employment uses.

"The amount of development is not considered to be disproportionate to the scale of the existing development in the area and would likely enhance the ongoing viability of Cheriton."

Saga, which until last year had its headquarters in Sandgate, has drastically reduced its office space after the pandemic saw it shed jobs and switch to working from home.

The over-50s travel and insurance giant opened smaller sites in Ashford and Sandwich after shutting its head office at Sandgate's Enbrook Park in March.

Its former Cheriton Parc site, just past Tesco in Cheriton high street, was originally constructed for the Channel Tunnel.

It will be turned into a mix of one and two-bed flats if the scheme is approved, while the 36 homes planned for the car park will be split between 20 three-bedroom two-storey homes and 16 four-bed three-storey townhouses.

The 19 flats due to be built in a “purpose-built” block will all be classed as affordable.

But Kent County Council’s highways department has objected to the scheme, describing the access roads as “too narrow” and the number of visitor spaces “unacceptable”.

Bosses are proposing 141 parking spaces for the scheme – 21 of which would be for visitors.

In a statement, a Saga spokesman said Cheriton Parc closed “following the introduction of our flexible working policy brought about by the pandemic”.

“After reevaluating our portfolio, we therefore made the decision to close the site and introduce a number of smaller hubs in the local area for those who wish to use office space,” they said.

“Regarding our site at Enbrook, we are still considering the long-term options and will update once confirmed."