The demolition of historic buildings as part of a multimillion-pound film studios project should never have been allowed to happen, say furious residents.

Contractors have knocked down a series of lean-to structures connected to abandoned engine sheds at Ashford's Newtown railway works.

The work is part of an ambitious scheme to transform the 12-acre site into four film studios and more than 300 homes.

Bosses stress they have permission to flatten the buildings - which received Grade II-listed status in 2001 - but residents say they were "still an iconic part of the site" that deserved protection.

Ashford International Development Company (AIDC) - 65% owned by Ashford Borough Council (ABC) and 35% by developers Quinn Estates - is behind the project, which was approved in 2020.

The company says demolition of the 1912-built structures will allow residents to "see more of the shed buildings themselves".

But Nicholas Cane, who lives next to the site, says the lean-to buildings - previously a blacksmiths, boiler shop and tender shop - should have been saved.

“This section of the building isn’t as old as the main sheds and the other buildings on site but they are still iconic," he said.

“I do not understand their reasonings behind the demolition; surely they could have been retained and repurposed. It's heartwrenching to see.”

The Victorian engine sheds are one of the UK's longest listed buildings, stretching across 350 metres.

They will be converted into 303 flats as part of the scheme, with the four studios being built opposite.

Entertainment giants including Netflix, Amazon and HBO have all been linked to the project, which was previously expected to cost £250m.

ABC approved the demolition of the lean-to buildings in 2020, and contractors have been working on the site since then.

This week, AIDC said the removal of the structures “is in accordance with the planning permission and listed building consent”.

But Mr Cane added: "The machinery being used is sending vibrations through my floor; on a couple of occasions the vibrations were so heavy that it felt like a miniature earthquake.

“Given ABC now has a majority input to Newtown works, they should have done more to preserve the area, while changing its use for modern-day living.”

Ashford historian Steve Salter shared similar concerns, and questioned why permission was given.

“From a historical point of view, even though the demolition taking place is permitted under listed building consent, I’m not totally happy with the decision to permit their removal,” he said.

“With the site listed in 2001, in my view it should mean the whole site and any removal of historical fabric from the site is wrong.

“With the recent media coverage of demolition at the Carlton Tavern in Maida Vale and, more notably, The Crooked House in Himley, historians and interested residents alike are right to question and be cautious over such works.”

In response to the concerns, an AIDC spokesman said the sheds “have laid dormant for a very long time”.

“These proposals involve finding a new use for one of the longest listed buildings in the country, which is of significant historical value, and bringing them back to life,” they said.

"The development will sensitively ensure our proud railway heritage is recognised while transforming a brownfield site which has laid dormant for more than three decades."

Outline planning permission for the whole scheme was agreed in April 2020 before being finally signed off last September once Section 106 contributions and legal agreements were completed.

The project is partially being financed through the government’s Levelling Up Fund, with the first tranche of £14.7m originally meant to be spent by March 2025.

However, due to nutrient neutrality rules affecting the residential scheme, ABC’s cabinet voted last year to ask the government for an extension until March 2026.

The rules are intended to make sure that building new homes does not alter the fine balance of chemicals in protected bodies of water - such as Stodmarsh Nature Reserve near Canterbury - in a way which will damage the ecosystem.

Natural England insists developers must ensure all schemes in the River Stour catchment area are “nutrient neutral” - either by having an on-site water treatment facility or offsetting the impact by providing mitigation measures elsewhere, such as wetlands.

In a statement released this week, an AIDC spokesman confirmed the scheme, which is also set to include a hotel and multi-storey car park, has been held up.

“Some delays to the project have occurred due to inflation on build costs, changes in parking specifications due to electric vehicles, strikes within the film and TV industry, and the challenges around finding a nutrient neutrality solution for this development with other changes needing to be made," they said.

“Despite these challenges, AIDC has been working to bring forward works to the listed buildings.

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"Brickwork cleaning and repairs to the locomotive sheds have already commenced to ensure these buildings can be renovated and maintained as part of the overall development.

“A report is coming to ABC's cabinet later this month, providing more detail about both the challenges and the progress on works on the site.”