Additional reporting by Alan Smith

A seemingly innocuous planning application to knock down a corrugated iron workshop and replace it with a new building with offices has left neighbours “horrified”.

There have already been more than 60 objection letters to the application submitted by Neuxpark Ltd to Tonbridge and Malling council for The Shed, off Lunsford Lane, Larkfield.

Neighbours say there has already been a substantial increase in activity since Neuxpark Ltd, a commercial building contractor, bought the site, which they say had previously been an agricultural barn.

Now they have raised concerns over noise, traffic and privacy.

They would prefer to see a four-bedroom house built there, for which permission was granted in December last year but which never materialised.

Maria Conyer, 55, of Lunsford Lane said: “I was looking forward to welcoming a new family into the community and was horrified with the ridiculous planning request.

“The road is a big concern. It’s a tiny, single track that is narrow and feeds the Lunsford Lakes and is a place of beauty for everybody – with many walkers up and down the lane.

“The junction at the top is already stressed. It can already take us about five minutes to get out of this lane so to add another load of cars and workers – it’s going to tear up the lane.”

Many objections refute the classification of the site as a workshop, with one objector on the council’s planning portal saying: “The site is not and never has been industrial or commercial.

“The impression given and stated by the applicants is that the barn has historically been used as an active commercial workshop with activities permitted under classes B1 and B2 - this is factually inaccurate and misleading.”

This is echoed by Maria who said: “I refute anything that states that it has been used for anything other than a storage shack.”

Meanwhile, Dixie Hart, 64, lives in one of the four Grade II-listed buildings neighbouring the plot and has objected to the plans.

She said: “From a planning viewpoint this is a semi-rural area with Grade II properties with historic interest and they are listed in heritage documentation – it is unheard for an industrial office unit to be put so close to so many historic properties.

“I can’t bear the thought that there will be people having meetings in the office, outside visitors coming for client meetings and they want to put a veranda at the back for congregating – I can’t be private in my garden anymore.

“I don’t think I can live here if it gets approved – and I really love this house. I’ve been here since 2005 and I’ve put my heart and soul into it.”

In addition, Chris Twyman said the application was “out of character” with the rest of the area and another objector said: “We live here because it is a lovely country lane with special and interesting quaint houses.

“This development will definitely change that.”

The applicants had a different view. They said: “The proposal sets out to create a building which sits easily with the surrounding developments, using versions of the material palate from both existing buildings on the site and the adjoining properties.

“The building materials proposed are timber cladding, brick and a metal standing seam roof. The black timber cladding reflects the use of timber boarding on neighbouring properties.”

Details of the application can be viewed on the Tonbridge and Malling council website, under reference number 24/00769.

Find out about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal.

Neuxpark Ltd has been contacted for a comment.