A petition has been set up to stop the building of a 15-storey tower block in Maidstone town centre.

Huw Whitethread, a concerned resident, has created the online campaign to highlight how the development could affect the town.

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The housing plan is the latest in a series of proposals from Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) and discusses the potential to convert the Broadway shopping centre into a high-rise apartment building.

Under the local authority's vision, the complex would be demolished and replaced with 281 flats.

Mr Whitethread's petition expresses concerns the site would "severely impact" Maidstone.

He makes reference to the level of air pollution more homes could cause and lists the effects it may have on residents, including cancer, asthma and heart disease.

The issue is a growing concern since Friends of the Earth revealed Upper Stone Street generates the fifth highest level of pollution in the country outside London, and the road has almost double the European Union's limit for nitrogen dioxide.

Mr Whitethread also details the effect the proposal could have on congestion and public services.

He writes: "Maidstone roads are already gridlocked at peak commuting times and weekends, additional housing and the traffic that additional housing brings will negatively impact this further.

"Doctors surgeries are already struggling to meet demand with the average waiting time for an appointment being three to six weeks."

The campaign encourages people to contact their councillor and chairman of MBC's planning committee, Cllr Clive English, to reject the proposal.

In less than 24 hours, it has more than 800 signatures.

Late last month Fant residents met to discuss the plans, with many commenting the tower block would "change the character" of the town.

It was also revealed the Maidstone War Memorial may have to be relocated to make way for the development which Cllr Jonathan Purle described as 'sacrilege'.

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