Plans for an 11-storey building described as an “ utter farce” have been rejected.

Developer U&I had an ambitious town centre application rejected by unanimous vote at Sevenoaks District Council's development control committee on Thursday (November 16).

The plans included 303 new homes as well as retail space, but only seven extra car parking spaces.

An original application was submitted in May 2016, but developers withdrewit, recognising concerns about height and scale. 

The amended application included seven mixed use ‘blocks’ of varying heights - the tallest reached 11 storeys, but most reached a height of between two and eight storeys tall.

Swanley councillors Michael Horwood, Lesley Dyball, Laurence Ball, Paul Darrington, John Barnes and Mike Hogg all spoke against the application, having been supported at the meeting by Mrs Judith Brickell, representing Swanley residents.

Councillors were concerned about the height of not just the 11-storey building, but also the other eight storey buildings included in the application, which would have been visible for miles outside of Swanley.

The number of car parking spaces for the 303 new residents was dubbed an “utter farce” by Mrs Brickell.

Cllr Dyball in her speech challenged the fact there was no affordable housing for Swanley residents, with no provision even for part-buy part-rent or starter homes, to help local young people get on the housing ladder.

A spokesman for Swanley Town Council said: “Councillors were keen to emphasise that although they welcomed U&I’s determination to renovate and regenerate Swanley Town Centre.

“It is important that U&I comes back with something more in keeping with a Kentish country town, as well as addressing the unsatisfactory parking provision and other problems.”

The developers said in their application: “The proposed development will have a direct effect on the townscape character of Swanley town centre and the wider setting.

The proposal will significantly enhance the urban environment through the quality of its design and the use of materials, both in terms of the buildings and the associated landscape.”