Plans to install a Ferris wheel in the middle of a shopping centre have split opinion - with one resident saying the site “isn’t an amusement park”.

Bosses at Ashford Designer Outlet have applied for permission to site the wheel in the main car park for half of the year.

But the proposal has divided those living in the town, with some raising concerns over the increased number of drivers potentially heading to the centre, while others have praised the idea.

If Ashford Borough Council (ABC) approves the scheme, the 33m-high ride would feature 24 gondolas, and could be in place by July.

It would be installed next to the site’s play area on seven disabled parking spaces, which would be reallocated elsewhere.

Centre owner McArthurGlen has asked for permission to operate the ride over a five-year period.

But commenting on ABC’s planning portal, William Cummins says he thinks the scheme should be blocked.

“The Designer Outlet is a shopping centre, not an amusement park,” he said.

“It was not designed or intended to support the type of attraction now being proposed.

“Attempting to travel past the Outlet often becomes a serious inconvenience, if not impossible.

“Parking pressures are another significant and ongoing issue. As a nearby resident, I regularly witness staff parking along our small, already overcrowded residential streets.

“This creates an unfair burden on residents and reduces the quality of life in our community.

“This project will undoubtedly increase the Outlet’s attractiveness and visitor numbers, and with that will come even more traffic congestion, parking problems, and disruption to local residents.”

South Ashford resident Jamie Durnford shares a similar opinion, saying he would not pay to go on the ride.

“I think it’s a bad idea,” he said.

"You would see it from a long way, but I won't be going on it.”

However, not all residents are against the proposal.

Carl May says he thinks the scheme is “fantastic”, adding “it’s about making retail exciting and bringing guests in”.

While Din Alijaj said: "I think it would work for children with all the right safety precautions. I would also use it."

If approved, the structure would be open for rides seven days a week.

McArthurGlen has operated a ‘Big Wheel’ at its Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet in Wirral since 2022, which it says has proved to be a “popular complementary attraction for shoppers”.

Adult tickets there cost £6, while children under 4ft can ride on the wheel for £5.

Each ride takes between 10 to 15 minutes, bosses say.

In planning documents lodged on behalf of McArthurGlen by London-based Montagu Evans, the company states the ride would complement the rest of the centre.

It adds it will not be an attraction in its own right, instead serving shoppers already at the site.

LED lighting would be installed on the roof of the gondolas as well as on one side of the rims, spokes and outer posts.

Commenting on the plans, centre manager Peter Heritage said: “We can confirm that a planning application for an observation wheel has been submitted to ABC.

“If approved, the temporary attraction will open for up to six months each year for the next five years, and we await to hear back from representatives on their decision.

“No disabled parking bays will be restricted and any spaces which are impacted, will be reallocated in the centre car park.”

“You would see it from a long way, but I won't be going on it…”

Last year, the Outlet hosted its first Christmas market despite fears the stalls could draw trade away from the town centre.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

Approved by ABC last August, the plans featured nine festive huts offering “gourmet food” and bespoke gifts from mid-November through to Christmas Eve.

The centre first opened in 2000, and enjoyed a £90m extension in 2019.

The Ferris wheel application is currently under consultation, with a decision expected by ABC later this year.

Additional reporting by Sam Lennon