A council in Kent has promised to “robustly” defend its opposition to a major new housing development after the scheme was called in by housing secretary Angela Rayner.

Swale Borough Council had been set to give its verdict on the 8,400-home Highsted Park on Friday (7 November), with officers recommending the scheme be refused. However the decision was taken out of its hands just hours before its scheduled committee meeting.

Planning officers recommended refusal on the basis of the “urbanising impact” which they said was “harmful to the intrinsic amenity value of the countryside”.