A long battle to stop two housing developments on farmland at Sholden has ended, with campaigners losing their determined fight to stop the building of hundreds of homes.

One protester has labelled the go-ahead decision by the district council as: "The day they killed Sholden village."

Deal MP Charlie Elphicke has condemned the approval of planning permission for the separate housing schemes, submitted by Ward and a second by Hillreed, for a total of almost 500 homes.

He said: "I have consistently opposed these developments and granting permission was a catastrophic error.

"These developments are unwanted, the design is poor and the area is subject to flood risk. Part of the land is Grade 1 and it will lead to even more congestion on our local roads.

"Insufficient funds were gained for infrastructure. There is nothing good here for our community. The decision is appalling."

Mr Elphicke praised the ward councillors who opposed the plans, mainly Labour Party members, and said they did a "great job standing up for the community."

* For full story see the East Kent Mercury, December 22.