A year of campaigning looks to have paid off for villagers opposed to a 3.6million tonne sand quarry.

Ryarsh villagers have been fighting proposals put forward last December to put a sand quarry on land at Roughetts Road for up to 24 years.

Next week county councillors will discuss the Minerals and Waste Local Plan, which maps out how the council will meet its mineral demands up to 2030.

Recommendations made ahead of the meeting branded the development "inappropriate".

It reads: "The county council considers that, activities associated with the mineral extraction would not preserve the openness of the green belt and so the development is inappropriate, and at this time, very special circumstances do not exist, primarily as the quantity of soft sand needed over the plan period can be met by another site that has been assessed as suitable for development which not located with the green belt."

Council documents appear to suggest an alternative site in Chapel Farm, Lenham, which could provide 3.2million tonnes of soft sand.

There is no mention of the Ryarsh proposal, also known as option M8, in draft papers for the mineral sites plan ahead of its submission.

Residents from around the village set up the Ryarsh Protection Group in opposition to proposals.

A statement from the group read: "We're pleased with the council officer's recommendation.

Kent County Council predicts it will have a 2million tonne shortfall in sand supplies by 2030.

"This proposal is inapproriate for Ryarsh and residents, including those from surrounding communities, have been fighting hard against it for the past year.

"We hope our elected councillors will take the recommendation on board as the proposal would have unacceptable negative impact on health and wellbeing, the everyday life of constituents and would mean losing a vital green space forever."

On Wednesday, Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat handed a petition from Ryarsh residents agaist the sand quarry in to the House of Commons.

The petition had been signed by 2,734-strong residents, bolstered by a further 881 online signatures.

Gerry and Oonagh Boyle were both present on Wednesday on behalf of Ryarsh Protection Group to watch the petition be handed in.

KCC's environment and transport cabinet committee will meet on Wednesday morning to discuss its Minerals and Waste Local Plan.