Spring next year is when work will start to develop the Dover Town Investment Zone according to leader of the council, Paul Watkins.

The investment zone area is scheduled to be complete by summer 2016.

The announcement was made at a full council meeting that took place last night in response to the petition that has caused a whirlwind of opinion over the last three months.

It is backed by more than 2,000 signatures and has been waved under the council’s nose to get chiefs to uncover what their next steps are.

Creator of the petition, Alan Shirley attended the meeting to hear what the leader of the council had to say.

Cllr Watkins said: “It has taken a long time to get where we are with this project and it is going reasonably well at this time.

“It has taken a long time to get where we are with this project and it is going reasonably well at this time..." - Cllr Watkins

“There are no issues that we should not give to the public in terms of the quest they have made. It is a matter of timing.”

“As it stands I would not want to undermine investor confidence at this time. Anything that causes that to occur would be a critical stop to the Dover economy.

“The council will be discussing this at the next council meeting.”

Once Cllr Watkins had finished, Mr Shirley and his army of supporters walked out.