A tiny parish council is heading for the High Court in its battle to prevent 2,000 houses being built on the North Downs.

Already half of the £70,000 needed to take Maidstone council to a judicial review has been raised by the public.

Bredhurst Parish Council says the “garden development” at Lidsing - between Hempstead, Lordswood and Bredhurst - would have “shamefully inadequate infrastructure and the destruction of neighbourhoods, countryside and wildlife”.

The parish must lodge its papers with the High Court by May 1 to apply for a judge-led examination which it hopes will lead to the proposal being dumped.

Maidstone’s Local Plan was passed in March, which included the Lidsing plan and another controversial scheme for 5,000 houses at Lenham Heath.

But the borough’s planning boss, Cllr Paul Cooper, claims campaigners are “trying to turn a political argument into a technical one”.

Campaign group Against Lidsing Garden Development said: “Taking a local authority to the High Court is a massive undertaking, especially for Bredhurst which is a tiny parish council.

“They know how much all residents in the area are against the development at Lidsing and, with your support, Maidstone council’s decision will be challenged in the High Court.”

The group is taking advice from London-based Landmark Chambers and solicitors, Leigh Day, which has offered its services at a hugely discounted rate.

Against Lidsing Garden Development added: “Bredhurst Parish Council has worked closely with Lenham colleagues for several years. If both or either challenge succeeds, Maidstone council would need to re-think its Local Plan.

“The fight to stop unsuitable development from destroying our area is far from over.”

Kent County Council (KCC) has expressed concerns about Lidsing.

Corporate director of growth, environment and transport, Simon Jones, wrote to Maidstone council ahead of the Local Plan being passed on March 20 saying: “The county council is working with National Highways to make significant improvements to Junction 3 of the M2 which would have a significant benefit to the residents of Maidstone and the surrounding area.

“The local highways authority is therefore concerned that the local mitigation put forward in the Local Plan could weaken the ability to secure contributions towards this significant scheme.”

Save Our Heath Lands is also in talks with lawyers to challenge the Maidstone council-led proposal at Lenham Heath.

Should either Lidsing or Lenham Heath be successfully challenged in the High Court, it would raise the prospect of the Local Plan collapsing.

Another consequence would be to see sites previously discounted - such as land at Marden, previously touted for 2,000 homes, and 1,750 homes at the former airfield at Detling - come back into the picture.

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Cllr Cooper, who is also a county councillor, said: “[Against Lidsing Garden Development] are welcome to go to the High Court as these things are open to challenge.

“The Local Plan was robustly prepared and I do not believe there are serious legal issues great enough to overturn it. My view is that they’re trying to turn a political argument into a technical, legal one.”

Borough councillor Vanessa Jones said the main thrust of the campaign against the Lidsing development lies in the infrastructure and its viability.

She added: “There are so many reasons why this is a non-runner.”