A village reeling from the shock announcement of plans to build 1,600 homes on fields there is set to get 300 more properties.

St Modwen Homes was granted outline consent for the land south of Brampton Field and between Bradbourne Lane and Kilnbarn Road, Ditton, in April 2021.

But the company has now also had its detailed planning application for the area known as Ditton Edge approved by Tonbridge and Malling council.

The builder is re-naming the site Orchard Mill and has plans for a mixture of one, two, three, four and five-bedroom homes.

The 11.5 hectare site will include two green spaces which will be available also to the wider public, but the planners said these were not large enough.

So the company is also making a contribution of £365,883 to Leybourne Lakes Country Park and £671,628 to other outdoor sports facilities in the area.

More than 1,600 people signed a petition against the development originally, and the detailed application still attracted 42 letters of objection, plus one from Ditton Parish Council.

There will be 586 parking spaces across the site, with 177 electric vehicle charging points.

Access will be from Kiln Barn Road.

The former agricultural land lies adjacent to the East Malling Conservaton Area.

Laura Bisbey, the firm's head of planning, said: "We are delighted that the development at Orchard Mill has now received reserved matters approval.

"This upcoming development allows us to meet growing demand for housing in this popular part of Kent, helping more people to find their dream home. "

She said: “We are already seeking ways we can support the wider community too, and have made a recent donation to the local food charity Communigrow.”

To learn about home sales, click here.

East Malling Trust, which owned the site, said it would use the proceeds from the sale of the land to help fund a new science and research campus.

Details of the approved scheme can be found on Tonbridge and Malling council's website here.

Application number 22/00557 refers.

Chatham and Aylesford MP Tracey Crouch has described East Malling Trust's latest plans for 1,600 homes in Ditton, planned for Hermitage Lane, as "monstrous."