ANGRY villagers are fighting to save an historic cottage after developers announced plans to bulldoze it to make way for new houses.

Residents in Lowlands Crescent, Great Kingshill, say some parts of Lowlands Cottage date back to the 16th and 17th centuries.

But the property, which housed the village bakery in the 1800s, has not been listed and can be pulled down under normal planning rules.

Neighbour David Jarman said: "It's not just a question of 'not in my backyard'. It's about the importance of historic buildings and our country's history."

Berkeley Homes applied to the district council last month to demolish the cottage, including some outbuildings, and build five three-bedroomed detached homes.

Mr Jarman said he and other residents know they cannot block development but would rather see the cottage left intact.

He said: "What we hope is that even though we can't stop the building on that site we would like to retain the cottage and refurbish it and bring it up to standard.

"To take it all down and put five small houses in there we're not h happy with that."

Jean Davis, of Stoney Green Farm, Great Kingshill, lived in Lowlands Cottage from 1946 to 1957.

She said: "I think the environmental position is that it would be a great shame to go and bulldoze it down totally because it's part of the past and so many people are trying to keep it."

The plans are currently being considered by officers at the district council but those opposing the demolition are confident the cottage could get a late reprieve if the council's conservation officer advises the cottage should be retained.

A spokesman for the district council said under present guidelines the cottage did not meet required standards to be listed.

He said: "In this case, Lowlands Cottage, despite its age, has been altered so many times and has lost so many of its original features that it is therefore unsuitable."

Berkeley Homes was unavailable for comment.