A proposal to deck a multi-storey car park in Sevenoaks has moved one step forward after a cabinet meeting discussing the results of a public consultation.

Sevenoaks District Council plans to add 300 long-stay spaces to the Buckhurst 2 car park by adding a two storey elevated car deck as part of a £4 million pound development, funded by a low-interest loan from the Government.

The council conducted a public consultation between June 5 and June 26 to find out local opinion on the proposal.

The results were put in front of cabinet members in a meeting on Friday, July 18 ahead of submitting a planning application next month.

More than 250 people attended the consultation exhibitions held by the council and 16 letters or e-mails were received along with a further 278 responses from the formal questionnaire.

Results from the survey showed that 65% of participants agreed that more parking spaces were needed in the town, along with 57% commenting that long-stay spaces were required.

Residents who work or live in Sevenoaks Town have raised concerns over potential traffic issues the development may cause, with 12 of 17 people who commented being worried about congestion and traffic management on the Suffolk Way junction.

A considerate amount of participants said they were concerned about the removal of trees and damage to the landscape that the work could cause and nearly 99% agreed that retaining this greenery is the right approach.

A whopping 92% of participants agreed that the car-park should be clad with materials to help fit in with its surroundings. The council aims to cover the building with materials that fit in with its surroundings, 39% of participants said that red brick should be used.

32 respondents do not want the car-park to be decked at all and 31 feel that if plans go ahead, spaces should be wider than normal.

Subject to planning consent, construction works could commence on site in January 2015 with a completion date expected to be in April 2015.

The results will now be considered and used to inform the planning application, due to be submitted in August. They will be considered by the council’s development control committee in October this year.