Motorists have scrambled over the wrecks at Monkey Farm Car Breakers for years searching for spare parts. But now all that could be coming to the end of the road.

The 1.3 acres on the Halfway Road next to the canal and holiday park at the entrance to Sheerness are subject to a planning application to clear the site and replace the precariously balanced wrecks with brand new warehouses and showrooms.

Even owner David Leaton admits the current view is an eyesore. The 54-year-old admitted: “I’m getting too old to be a car-breaker. Don’t get me wrong, the business has been good to me. But it’s a messy site and I think everyone would agree it’s in the wrong place."

So he has come up with a radical plan to dump all the vehicles and replace them with showrooms, offices, warehouses and light industrial units.

He said: “Peel Ports is tidying up the entrance to Sheerness at Blue Town so I thought it was time to do the same at the town’s other gateway. I think all my neighbours will be overjoyed – especially the caravan park next door when holidaymakers will no longer be able to see, hear or indeed smell the car breakers.”

He lodged outline planning permission with Swale council two years ago but the road to regeneration hasn’t been smooth. He said: “I thought the council would bite my hand off to tidy this area but all I’ve had is hurdles.”

One giant stumbling block is the canal – otherwise known as the Queenborough Lines. The Lines were designated an ancient monument in 2012 which means anything built near it must be approved by Historic England.

However, David is not a man to give up easily. His architect John Burke has met ancient monument inspector Paul Roberts and the pair seem to have thrashed out an agreement.

David, who has run the business since 1990, stressed: “I must make it clear that any changes to the site must be financially viable and warrant a change of use. But I really can’t see anything negative about these plans.

“It will be an incredible improvement to what is already there. It will clean up the area and provide space for start-up businesses or those needing to move from the Klondyke industrial estate in Rushenden which is being pulled down to make way for houses.

“Currently we employ three to four people. I believe this development could create 30 to 100 jobs on the Island. It’s a win-win situation.”

The Lines

The canal – part of the Queenborough Lines fortification - was dug in 1859 to protect the Royal Naval Dockyard from attacking French following the Napoleonic Wars.

It was one of a series of 70 forts and batteries known as Palmerstone’s Follies after Prime Minister Lord Palmerston.

The lines were competed in 1868 and although manned during both World Wars they were never needed. Several reinforced concrete air raid shelters and mortar positions were built into the ramparts.

Mr Leaton said: “It is clear to see that The Lines has fallen into disrepair. The banks of the canal are eroding and are unmaintained. The water is strewn with rubbish, traffic cones and shopping trolleys.

“As Monkey Farm lies within 50 metres of both the gateway to Sheerness and the historic monument it would be rational to assume that any improvements to the area would be welcomed. The stacks of cars and cranes cannot help to enhance the monument.

“It is highly unlikely that the car breakers will ever be replaced by open pastures again. Almost any development of the site will improve the view from the historic monument and will have a positive impact on the site itself.”

The Plans

Mr Leaton is proposing 11 new business units with offices and trade showrooms, a larger warehouse or showroom and eight light industrial workshops with secure storage yards.

The £750,000 scheme would include the demolition of existing buildings including a two-bedroom bungalow called Sunnyside.

The Name

Monkey Farm has been on ordnance survey maps since 1864. There are a number of theories how it got its name.

One is that it is where the Navy’s “powder monkeys” were billeted when manning the defences. Others believe it took its name from a zoo which had cages of monkeys on the site.

Car Breaking

The days of car breakers with rows of teetering vehicles is coming to an end. Many scrapped vehicles now have parts like engines and gearboxes removed within days and then sent for fragmentation.

Spare parts are cleaned, serviced and packed for sale within a racked storage industrial unit.

Mr Leaton said: “In future, car breakers will cease to store vehicles on-site and only their workshop and stores will exist. This is already happening across the UK. Unsightly cars will vanish from the landscape and be replaced by a much cleaner and safer working environment for employees.”