A Kent village could grow by more than 100 homes under new plans to build on land currently used for farming.

Hallam Land Management has submitted an application for up to 112 homes in Yalding, near Maidstone, to the borough council.

The site for the planned estate is on the western edge of Yalding and the size of just over six football pitches.

Hallam Land Management describes the scale of the development as “modest” in planning documents - noting that the spot is allocated for about 100 homes in Maidstone council’s local plan.

The development consists of two parcels of land north and south of Kenward Road, and mainly consists of polytunnels for farming at the moment.

The developers boast that the plans constitute “a significant capital investment into the local area”.

As an outline application, the exact number design and layout of the estate will be dealt with through later plans, but developers say it will include “up to 45 new affordable homes”.

The application states: “The new homes proposed within the northern parcel will be varied in size, with a broad mix of types from one bedroom flats through to four and five bedroom family houses, reflecting identified local need expressed in planning policy.”

Kenward Road would receive a new T-junction for access to the estate.

Hallam Land Management writes: “Over the 20th century the village has expanded to the north, east and south.

“However its expansion has been relatively limited in scale and Yalding still retains a strong sense of historic village character and identity.”

The plan was originally for 125 homes, but after consulting 92 people, the applicants reduced the proposals to 112.

The list of responses to the developers’ own consultation does not list any comments in favour of the plans.

Karen Jenkins is the only resident to write in to the council’s planning portal so far to comment on the bid.

Objecting to the plans, she wrote that the town bridge is “chaotic at peak times with traffic backing up past Vicarage Road and the Lees.”

“The strain on local services, particularly the school, does it have enough places? And does the doctors surgery have capacity?” she queried.

“I am opposed to this development as I believe the surrounding infrastructure in not sufficient to sustain such a large number of dwellings,” she concluded.

It is not yet known when the planning committee will decide on the proposals, but an internal deadline of February 27, 2024 has been set.