Bosses planning the garden town at Otterpool Park have insisted the development will not be a swathe of concrete across the countryside.

Consultants working on the 12,000 home project moved to allay fears from residents the green fields would be replaced with a blanket of housing around Folkestone Racecourse.

Speaking ahead of the launch of public consultations, which continue today and tomorrow, they revealed up to 40% of the 700 hectares (1,279 acres) could be green space.

Shepway District Council - which owns 357 acres of farmland bought last December - is working with the owners of Folkestone Racecourse, Cozumel Estates.

Rebecca Kearney, of Arcadis which is leading the project and design teams, said the 40% was an early figure and did not include “green infrastructure” like gardens and school playing fields.

She said the 40% figure had been mentioned but added “there is not a particular target” for green space.

“We’re looking at the richest and weakest areas in biodiversity,” she said.

“A lot of it is quite poor in biodiversity and there’s not a lot of species. We’re mapping where things are, the topography and we can then have our architects design to improve the richness or assess where this housing goes.

“We will be consulting again in the New Year when the initial scale of development might be known.”

Brandon Murray, a specialist working on ecology for Arcadis, added: “We’re carrying out surveys to know what’s on site and to maintain all the valuable areas and link through the whole site and how we can maximise the value of the space.

"In the long term it could attract new species.”

"The stage we’re at at the moment is almost stage zero. There’s not a proposal or design." Kevin Murray, public engagement consultant

Consultants stressed the maximum amount of housing for the site – approved by the government last month – would be 12,000 homes for approximately 29,000 people.

But they added it could be reduced down depending on results of studies currently being carried out.

The first round of public exhibitions and “engagement” sessions will run for the next two days.

Kevin Murray, of Kevin Murray Associates which is leading the public engagement, referred several times to the “evolution of ideas” for the masterplan.

He added: “The stage we’re at at the moment is almost stage zero. There’s not a proposal or design and it’s about how do people fit in to that.

"We’re genuinely trying to find a way for people to input [ideas].”

Mr Murray said the design is “something we want people to be a part of” so that residents can “see where their ideas or their children’s ideas have come in”.

He said there was not a plan put together for residents to be asked “do you like it or not”.

Exhibitions will be held today at Folkestone Racecourse from 2pm to 5pm and tomorrow at Lympne Village Hall, Aldington Road, Lympne from 10am to 2pm.