Developer Bellway is seeking planning permission for up to 65 homes on land opposite Malling Abbey in West Malling, Kent.
The abbey, founded in around 1090, is home to a group of Benedictine nuns who have adopted a simple lifestyle with an emphasis on silent and isolated worship.
The community provides individuals with residential retreats and hosts heritage open days for schools.
Alongside its Grade I, II and II* listed buildings, the grounds are designated as an historic park and garden.
Opponents of Bellway’s plans fear the construction and occupation of new homes will disrupt the community’s peaceful existence.
Reverend David Green, vicar of St Mary’s Church in West Malling, said the order of around 10 to 15 nuns, whose ages are estimated to range from 35 to 95, required a quiet environment to worship in.
“Their whole way of life is built around isolated prayer and peace and quiet,” he said.
Bellway’s plans would see fields on the eastern edge of West Malling occupied by a new estate.
Reverend Green said the side of the abbey grounds nearest the development housed the nuns’ personal accommodation, cloisters, chapel and burial ground.
“They are there for a reason, it’s the quietest part of the grounds,” he said.
He added: “For the nuns, it’s a particular concern because their entire way of life is built around silence and quiet, and they are being asked to…
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