A huge 650-home development at a former quarry is set to go ahead.

The new homes are destined for the former Nickolls Quarry in Hythe, which makes up part of the new Martello Lakes housing development.

Planning permission for the latest addition was unanimously granted at the Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) Planning and Licensing committee last night.

Outline planning permission had already been granted as part of a wider original planning permission for 1,050 dwellings in 2010.

Four hundred of those houses already have detailed planning permission, 200 of which have already been built by housebuilder Barratt Homes.

But due to an expired time condition, a new outline application for the remainder of the land was submitted.

As well as the 650 new homes, the application included plans for up to 15,000sqm of office space or care uses, 1,150sqm of shops and restaurants, and 14.02 hectares of open space.

Some aspects of the original application have been changed, to take into account updated planning policy.

Cllr David Wimble (Ind) called the updated plans "actually an improvement" on the previous scheme.

"I was part of the council when this was first brought in and we were all very excited at that time," he said.

"From what I can see this is actually an improvement on the original one as well. It's more green space and a better use of space overall."

Cllr Nicola Keen (Lab) said she hoped a bus stop would be added to the area very soon.

"There will be kids run over right, left and centre"

"I'm rather concerned that there isn't a stop on that site, as I'd imagine there will be lots of children of all ages living there," she said.

"I would like to think there would be a bus stop there so they're not running across a dangerous main road.

"That needs to be in the plan because there will be kids run over right, left and centre as it is a very very fast road."

Kate Holland, who was speaking on behalf of the applicants, said buses would start to run "when a certain mass of people are living there, and when it becomes profitable for the bus company to run from there".

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