A controversial development in Ashford, Kent, opposed by grassroots campaigners, has been approved by the Ashford Borough Council Planning Committee recently.
Ten councillors voted for the development, which is to take place in Chilmington Green, with two councillors voting against the development.
Rhetoric was heightened, with some local residents describing the site as a disfiguring, aggressive blight on the rural landscape around Chilmington Green, while those in favour of the plans talked of the need to provide affordable homes for the children and grandchildren in the area.
Both sides emphasised the importance of jobs and infrastructure to the development - some of the principle concerns raised around the project have been traffic levels and whether the garden city would really continue to provide employment opportunities.
The project represents an ongoing trend by this government towards garden cities that in turn represents a focus on community taking precedence.
In addition to the more than 5,000 houses built, the plan is to ensure that these houses become homes. With a new high street, market square, supermarket, park, secondary school and four primary schools it is a significant and substantial development for the region, and the impact will be large one way or the other.
Developments of this kind are often complicated, and do attract grassroots protests, so more updates on this story may be on the way. If you're considering obtaining planning permission in Kent, consider checking out our straightforward guide - and if you have a more complicated question, feel free to get in touch and we can give you a useful answer as soon as possible.