STRONG objections have been raised to development at a sheltered housing complex in Kempsey.

Parish councillors say that it would threaten the special provision for elderly people at The Firs, in Old Road North.

Elgar Housing Association wants permission to build six two-bedroom bungalows on the edge of an old orchard in the grounds of The Firs and create five flats and a guest room in the main building.

But the parish council has recommended refusal, saying it would set a precedent for building outside the settlement boundary and within a conservation area.

It would mean the loss of two fruit trees and the new access could interfere with a protected beech tree, they say.

Vice-chairman Ray Ellis, who presided over the meeting after chairman Joy Clee declared an interest and withdrew, said three flats at The Firs had been empty for some time.

Members feared that the new flats would be let to professional people and the bungalows might go to couples with children in their late teens or early 20s.

"At the moment we have a lovely facility for the elderly in a quiet area of the village," said Miki Howes-Jones.

"Putting in families with older children might take away the attractiveness of The Firs for elderly people. It would become exactly the same as other estates."

Residents, many of whom were not very agile, were worried about the creation of a driveway beside the property and there were already parking problems, said Ann Hart.

"We have a major traffic problem in Old Road North and it is going to become more dangerous, even for able-bodied people to walk there," said Mr Ellis.

Speaking after the meeting, Richard Grounds, Elgar Housing Association's commercial director, said the bungalows were being proposed in response to local demand and would go to the over-60s or people who were registered disabled.

"They would be on the edge of the settlement area and would therefore have to be specifically for local people," he said.

"In the 21st Century people like to have the flexibility of two bedroom accommodation."

The three empty flats in the old part of The Firs had not been taken up by elderly people because they were on the first and second floors and there was no lift serving them he added.

Two of them were previously used by a warden and deputy warden.

"We want to create new flats in this part of the house and they wouldn't be purely for the elderly, but they would be separate from the main sheltered scheme," he said.