CONTROVERSIAL plans for a huge highways depot on protected green belt land in Wrotham have been given the go-ahead.

County councillors narrowly voted to back the proposal for the “super depot” at London Road on the A20 in the face of continuing protests from residents and local groups.

Campaigners have vowed to carry on their fight to stop Kent County Council’s scheme, which could now be the subject of a potentially lengthy public inquiry.

Although members of KCC’s planning committee backed the plan by eight votes to seven, its fate rests with the secretary of state for communities, Ruth Kelly.

She has been asked to decide whether to approve the depot plan or whether there should be an inquiry because the application is on green belt land.

Opponents of the depot said they were disappointed by the decision but insisted they had not given up hope of overturning KCC’s scheme.

Wrotham Parish council chairman Harry Rayner said: “We have lost a skirmish but the battle is not yet over.”

The application for the depot was made by the county council as part of a major re-organisation of its highways department.

It will be one of two from which the county’s roads will be repaired and maintained.

During a lengthy debate, councillors were divided over the plan.

Cllr Valerie Dagger (Con), who represents the Malling West division, was among those opposing the application.

She told the meeting: “The increase in traffic in this vicinity created by the arrival of 150 members of staff, along with maintenance and gritting lorries, is utterly inappropriate. The height and design of the buildings are astonishingly insensitive. Most grotesque of all is the massive salt barn, which at 14 metres high, will be highly visible from the North Downs.”

Cllr Godfrey Horne (Con), who represents Tonbridge, said the deport was too big for the site. “We are trying to put a very important centre in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Metropolitan Green Belt and poor Borough Green suffers. I am sure it is a good location for a depot - I just think it is too big for what KCC wants to put into it. Don’t we want to protect the green belt where we can?”

But others said that the state of the site meant the development would not detract from its appearance. Cllr John Muckle (Lab) said he was prepared to put aside his misgivings about development on the green belt.

“There may be some beauty in the hills nearby but on this site - never,” he said.

Planning officers insisted there were exceptional circumstances that meant the application should be approved, including the fact that no other sites were available and there was an “inescapable need” for the depot.

Speaking after the meeting, planning committee chairman Cllr Richard King (Con) said: “This was a difficult decision but on reflection, members felt there were very special circumstances which would justify overriding the green belt restraints.”