Controversial proposals to create a new route for HGVs in and out of a village shopping centre have been granted, despite noise "nuisance" concerns.

A new 110m road for delivery goods vehicles, such as lorries and vans, will be installed at Newnham Court Shopping Village in Bearsted Road, Weavering.

It will be used to relieve congestion for traffic using the £11million upgraded A249 Bearsted Road, due to be constructed off J7 of the M20 by Spring 2023.

However, locals have warned about the "nuisance" of lorries going in and out of the shopping centre between 7.30am and 8pm from Mondays to Saturdays.

Simon Cook, who has owned Newnham Court for 40 years and lives around 10 metres away from the development, described the route as “not necessary.”

He said: “This application will affect the last area of our property, which is reasonably quiet.”

Mr Cook added there was not enough room to unload goods from lorries or fork lift trucks or to have welfare facilities, such as toilets.

'The existing route is not a good one'

Requesting the application be refused, he added: “The new HGV route would cause unacceptable nuisance and is a poorly thought-out scheme.”

Kent County Council's (KCC) planning committee overwhelmingly approved the plans during a public meeting in County Hall, Maidstone, yesterday.

The applicant, KCC's corporate services team, said it wants to provide "more suitable" access to Newnham Court.

Lorries will be taken from the "busy" core area of Newnham Court Shopping Village, which includes Pennies Day Nursery, Gymfinity and a vet surgery.

More space will be provided to HGVs by increasing the size of the road layout, so vehicles can turn round in a manoeuvre rather than reversing with beepers.

Loading and unloading will take place by Notcutts Garden Centre.

Sharon Thompson, KCC’s head of planning, said the new route will mark a more "convenient" solution for lorries amid the planned Bearsted upgrade.

She said: "In our view, this would provide a better alternative and one that I feel is better for HGV traffic.”

Meanwhile, the KCC planning committee expressed “considerable sympathy” with people who live in the area.

Birchington county councillor Derek Crow-Brown (Con) said: "I have had a similar situation with trucks, especially those with refrigeration units on and off in my area."

He said: “In certain weather conditions that noise can be particularly disturbing.”

Broadstairs county councillor Rosalind Binks (Con) warned about noise problems.

She said: “I endorse proposals for more efforts on noise levels, which are the most important thing, including the inevitably irritating reversing noises that HGVs tend to have.”

In response, KCC officers suggested that noise reduction measures be "strengthened". This includes switching off vehicle engines when static.

In total, eight out of 10 councillors voted in favour of pressing ahead with the highways improvement scheme.

Maidstone North East county councillor Ian Chittenden (Lib Dem) said: "The existing route is not a good one.

"It is interwoven with other activities and goes on the same route as the cars."

Cllr Chittenden added: “Overall, I am happy to see this alternative."