Plans for a new Father Christmas World in Tunbridge Wells have been unveiled.

Organisers behind the Christmas attraction lodged an application last year which was unanimously refused by council planners, despite tickets already being sold.

A number of objections and concerns were lodged by residents and members of the council.

Potential traffic problems and the conservation of an Area of Outstanding Natural beauty were two of the main issues raised.

Bosses were also criticised after prices of up to £65 per ticket were released, which were later reduced when plans were revised.

The refusal followed weeks of deliberation and public consultation.

Markerstudy Leisure, the company behind FCW, was forced to refund tickets that had been sold before planning permission was secured.

The attraction was subsequently scaled back and a smaller version of events, which did not require permission, went ahead.

Plans for this year's festive venue were put on display at a public consultation at Salomon's Estate last week.

Around 30 people attended the meeting. Neighbours, local businesses and councillors from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, and Speldhurst and Rusthall Parish councils had the opportunity to the plans for this year's Father Christmas World, as well as ask questions.

They were reportedly told numbers for any event in 2015 would not exceed 19,000.

A change of use planning application is set to be sought from the council imminently.

Nick Moore, group commercial director of Markerstudy Leisure, the company behind the attraction, said: “We were keen to share our plans with local residents and councillors ahead of submitting them to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

"Having outlined our plans for Father Christmas World during the meeting, we were delighted that the feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive.”

Markerstudy Leisure plans to use a different part of the estate than before and incorporate existing buildings in the design.

Organisers say they are keen to build on last year's venue and make it better than ever.

The number of days it will be open are set to be reduced by 20% and a spokesman said a similar traffic management plan to the one used previously would be applied.