A youth club will be rolled out inside shipping containers to help combat “hundreds of young people” engaging in “deviant behaviour”.

Canterbury city councillors greenlit proposals for the two-storey building next to the city wall against officers’ recommendations.

Planning chiefs argued the project “would detract from the setting of the city wall,” a scheduled ancient monument situated “within Canterbury’s conservation area”.

But councillors at a committee meeting gave the new venue the nod on July 23, where details of troubled youths in the area were laid bare.

Cllr Harry McKenzie (Lab), the district’s youngest councillor at 24, backed the proposal, saying: “There is significant community value to a youth hub in the city centre.

“I work in St George’s Street and I'm not exaggerating when I say I see hundreds of young people every day engaging in deviant or anti-social behaviour that can cause a nuisance, and it is entirely preventable.”

With plans in the works since March last year, the youth club will be located between the former Wilko building and the city wall just off St George’s Street.

In planning documents, applicants City Impact said the containers would be “clad sympathetically so as to blend into the local area and provide interest”.

The firm also detailed how the club will feature “a cafe/kitchen area, indoor seating area, game zone, movie zone, chill zone and WC, along with a sheltered external terrace”.

Since submitting the bid, City Impact has disbanded and a new charity provisionally named Youthhub will be running the project.

While council officers warned the “building would neither conserve nor enhance the conservation area” a 17-year-old, Dayne Joseph, attended to speak in favour of the plans.

He said: “While I'm aware that the city’s image is important as tourism is an important aspect of Canterbury, in my opinion the future of the youth of the city is much more important.

“Not enough is being done to support our youth and to keep them from engaging in anti-social behaviour.

“I say this because I can personally relate to it.

“When I was younger, when me and my friends had nothing to do during the summer or on the weekends, we were going places we shouldn’t have been going and doing things we shouldn’t have been doing, as it was just something to do.

“If we had that opportunity to go somewhere during the summer that didn’t require money and was a place for us and other young people we would have benefited from it.”

The teenager added: “Introducing a youth hub will not automatically get rid of all anti-social behaviour, it will definitely be a step in the right direction.

“By approving the youth hub you’ll be sending a message to the youth of our city that they matter, that their voices are important and that we’re willing to invest in their wellbeing.”

Businessman and resident Edd Withers also attended to back the plans, saying: “Young people feel very much neglected in this city, they have for a long time.

“Young people want a place with free wi-fi, affordable food and drink, and to participate in activities.”

He also took issue with claims the two-storey hub would be detrimental to the historic city wall: “It’s this little stumpy thing on the right, it’s not like it’s this glorious Roman monument.”

Prior to the planning meeting, 15 letters in favour of the bid were received, as were two letters against.

Chair of the committee Cllr Pat Edwards (Lab) suggested adding in a planning condition the hub will have to return for further permission in four years depending on how successful it is.

Cllr Naomi Smith (Lab) proposed changing this to three years, to which members agreed.

Cllr Harry McKenzie (Lab), the district’s youngest councillor at 24, also backed the proposal, saying: “There is significant community value to a youth hub in the city centre.

“I work in St George’s Street and I'm not exaggerating when I say I see hundreds of young people every day engaging in deviant or anti-social behaviour that can cause a nuisance, and it is entirely preventable.”

Labour’s Cllr Paul Prentice added: “Anything that is added in that very nondescript space is probably going to be an improvement.”

The nearby overhang of the former Wilko building has hosted tents belonging to rough sleepers for some time.

Cllr Ian Stockley (Con), said he agreed the city needs such youth facilities, but was “concerned about the heritage aspect”.

“There’s a chapel within a stone’s throw of where this is going to be sited,” he said, in reference to the Grade II-listed Zoar Chapel on the city wall.

“If this was anything other than a youth centre, there is no way on God’s green Earth that two shipping containers would be put in this location, and it is pretty much unprecedented.”

However, the committee voted unanimously to approve the plans for three years, after which further planning permission will be needed.

As CCC owns the land, further legal agreements will be needed before the structure can be installed.

Cllr Mel Dawkins (Lab), who has been working with the team behind the project, said of the decision: “This is truly fantastic and a result of much perseverance.

“I'm so pleased for our young people, that there will be a place in town for them.

“It sends a clear message, here is a safe space for you.

“It may not provide the whole solution, but is a part of it, a bold step in the right direction and certainly can be a lot better than what we have now.”