The designer responsible for street lights that set the taxpayer back almost £400,000 has mounted a strong defence of his scheme.

He also insists he was never challenged about the costs.

Each of the 56 lights that form part of the controversial shared space scheme in Ashford town centre costs seven times more than a conventional street light.

But designer Nayan Kulkarni has hit back at his critics and says people should "calm down" and not be so enraged by the costs.

He said: "I don't know why it was such a shock it cost this much to the council - it went through the normal approvals process that any scheme does.

"I was never challenged about the costs of the lighting design. It represents about 2.6 per cent of the overall project, which seems reasonable to me."

He added: "The shared space idea is terrific and it is exciting. The quality generally is very good. Everybody should just calm down a bit and wait for the trees to grow. It is going to make a lot more sense when a few more buildings arrive."

While he accepted that people were entitled to their opinions, he said they should focus on whether the lights were doing their job and made sense in the context of the overall scheme, adding: "They are welcome to judge as harshly as they like. I just find it perplexing.

"They are no more expensive to maintain that any other street light. I would have enjoyed the criticism more if people had questioned whether it was good design or not."

• More on this story in the print edition of the Kentish Express (March 12).

• For more news from Ashford, Folkestone, Hythe and Tenterden visit kentishexpress.co.uk >>>