Controversial plans for a McDonald’s drive-thru, 18-pump petrol station and a M&S Simply Food store on the site of the former Tollgate Hotel have been approved by Gravesham council.

Development plans for the 2.5 acre site just off the A2, at the Gravesend Central turn-off, were opposed by more than 1,700 people, who vented their anger with protests, petitions and letters.

However, the council’s planning board approved the plans for the second time, subject to conditions, at a regulatory board meeting on Wednesday night.

The decision was made despite neighbouring Tollgate Services owner, Simon Privett saying the development would ruin his business.

Many living near the proposed site were upset by the plans and the council received 598 objection letters from individuals and two circular letters, one signed by 511 people and the other signed by 44 people.

Speaking to the chamber Mr Privett said: “It seems to me that your constituents have spoken very clearly on whether they want this proposal and I would advise you to respect their opinions.

“It will rob me of my livelihood.”

Mr Privett’s planning consultant Julian Sutton, also expressed disapproval of the project and said it “laughed in the face of common sense” but councillors disagreed and voted 7/2 in favour of work going ahead.

A dispute between developer BP Oil UK Limited, Gravesham council and Mr Privett – whose petrol station is within a few hundred yards of the proposed one – has been going on for two years.

Plans for the site were first approved in January last year, but a High Court judge quashed the decision after Mr Privett lodged judicial review proceedings.

He was awarded £20,000 to cover his costs in an out-of-court settlement with the council, which admitted it had not properly taken into account paragraph 89 of the National Planning Policy Framework, essentially what was acceptable in the Green Belt.

Now it looks like work to see a second McDonald's in Gravesend will finally begin.

The scheme will create 65 jobs, with 15 staff at work during one shift. The petrol station, complete with cash machine, and McDonald’s will be open 24 hours and deliveries to the station will be once a week and the restaurant three times a week.

The Tollgate Hotel was bought by the Highways Agency under a compulsory purchase order in November 2006 for £4.85 million when the A2 was widened.

0nce that was finished, for several years it was offered for sale and marketed as a site suitable for continued hotel use.

During a extensive discussion on the application a number of points were raised by councillors including the impact on the Green Belt and also traffic and highways concerns.

Adrian Piggott from Kent County Council Highways department, said there would be no severe traffic issues caused by the development on existing roads.

He said: “We believe that this particular roundabout can cope with the proposed development. It does also have a few additional benefits if the existing services doesn’t remain open.

"Obviously there would less of a contribution to the [traffic] problem.”

The Tollgate site lays in Gravesham’s Green Belt, however the project would not be breaking any rules as it would be built on a previously developed land, which is called brownfield.

Councillors discussed the impact a 24-hour fast food restaurant would have on the openness of the Green Belt with light pollution a particular factor.

However, it was decided that as the site would be built off the A2, any impact created would not be greater than what already existed.

Cllr Lee Croxton also said the board must focus purely on planning issues, not competition between businesses.

He said: “I can see the issue of putting a petrol station up where there is one close but that is not a planning concern."

Cllr Croxton said he was reassured by the information given by Mr Piggot that roads would not be overwhelmed by the drive-thru and garage.

“I think the impact of particularly the McDonald’s will be very significant, but the simple fact is that we were told by Mr Piggot that it won’t be the case.

“That leaves me to take no other action that to say what I said previously and that is that I support this application.”