A hugely popular church has been accused of showing “total disregard” for residents living near its Dartford centre.

Winners’ Chapel, in Churchill Close, just off Green Street Green Road, has been subject to dozens of complaints from frustrated locals over parking and traffic congestion.

The worldwide organisation, run by multi-millionaire Nigerian Bishop David Oyedepo, uses its Dartford church as its European headquarters and attracts hundreds every weekend.

Concerns have been expressed about services in the early hours and a congested car park, with vehicles spilling out into roads and claiming spaces at the neighbouring Goals Soccer Centre.

Sharon Duncan, posting on the Dartford Past, Present and Future Facebook page, said: “This is a continuous problem, not only on Sundays but also during the rush hour.

“It will lead to a bad traffic accident or a schoolchild being run over – the roundabout is a nightmare."

Pete Clark, also posting on the Facebook page, said: “It is total disregard for local residents.

“There are hundreds of cars every weekend parking wherever they want, blocking the road with eight or nine double-decker buses parked on the corner, forcing cars to pass on the wrong side of the road on the corner.

“People are using the Goals car park despite notices asking them not to park in there – the traffic outside is gridlocked.”

The congestion has also affected a nearby engineering firm, who are based just across the road from the chapel.

Employee Michael Railton said: "On the weekends we have their cars blocking our work gates and the road down the side.

"It also causes havoc for ambulances. They have trouble getting down the road because of the badly parked coaches and buses that park where they want."

Concerns about potential road trouble were raised as far back as 2010, when an application was first submitted by the church to use the site.

A Kent County Council planning officer said that parking provision for cars and coaches “gives very serious concerns”, but this week member Olu Oyesiku gave a staunch defence of his church.

Mr Oyesiku, who lives in South Street, Gravesend, said: “We have our own traffic officers and a car park that takes an estimate of more than 500 cars.

“Sometimes when we are doing a celebration or something the place is chock-a-block and we are trying to tell people not to park on the estates. When there is a problem our traffic officers tell people to move – they are always around.

“We do have three services so people can choose to come to whichever one they want.”

Winners’ Chapel is in Dartford council’s Brent ward, which is represented by former mayor Cllr Avtar Sandhu.

Cllr Sandhu said he was aware of the perceived problems and called on the chapel to introduce further on-site parking to help alleviate residents’ concerns.

He said: “Residents have raised their concerns about the issues, especially the parking of the coaches.

“It has built up over a period of time, especially over the last two years or so.

“Having seen it myself there is a lot of parking and traffic up there, which isn’t very respectful to local people and is actually quite dangerous." - Cllr Jeremy Kite.

“I think they are listening to the concerns now, but it has taken some time.

“If they actually put in a car park that is adequate, I think that would be the best thing.”

Council leader Jeremy Kite also expressed sympathy for residents.

He said: “I have enormous sympathy for the residents who live up there.

“Having seen it myself there is a lot of parking and traffic up there, which isn’t very respectful to local people and is actually quite dangerous.

“I know we are in discussion with Winners’ and I have raised it with police, I do think they need to take an interest — if you go up there on a Sunday morning it really is chaotic.”

Winners' Chapel was contacted for comment but the Messenger did not receive a response.