Any scheme to permanently fix a collapsed road caused by a major landslip will take years to complete and prove very costly, it has emerged.

Two options are now being proposed to repair the A226 Galley Hill Road in Swanscombe which has been shut for nearly two years.

Kent County Council (KCC) transport bosses say a bridge or an earth embankment bank could be solutions to the problem.

But both would come with a massive price tag, possibly running to tens of millions of pounds and take no less than three years to complete.

Residents were given an update of the situation at a public meeting held last Friday evening (March 21).

Facing questions from the public were Labour MPs for Gravesham and Dartford respectively, Dr Lauren Sullivan and Jim Dickson, residents’ association representative Dawn Johnston, KCC member Cllr Thomas Mallon (Reform), Dartford borough councillor David Mote (Con), PC Adam Rafter and KCC officer Toby Howe.

The A226 closure has caused huge headaches for local residents and businesses with an estimated hit to the local economy of £2million.

But the issue is being complicated because there are several different potential interests involving KCC, Thames Water and the landowners.

As the highways authority, KCC is currently managing closure day to day but its straitened financial position would prevent it from doing so indefinitely or to fund the repairs.

A KCC source said depending on the option chosen, the price tag would be in the “tens of millions” and would have to come out of the government coffers.

Toby Howe, strategic resilience manager at KCC, said much of the past year has been spent carrying out survey work and making the site safe.

He explained that any diversion of an A-road has to be a highway of a similar size but options such as a temporary bridge or opening up one lane were deemed to be unsafe.

The two fresh options under consideration and with government ministers are a bridge similar to the one over the HS1 or an earthwork embankment to reinforce the chalk spine.

Mr Howe said he was unable, for legal reasons, to disclose the estimated costs but conceded “it’s a lot of numbers”.

He told the audience of around 70: “We haven’t had a response from the government yet but that will not stop the work going on.”

A full business case is being developed and legal discussions will be ongoing.

But even with an immediate go-ahead from government, the design process would take six months, another six months from tender and procurement and up to two years to build, said Mr Howe.

Dartford MP Jim Dickson criticised Tory-run KCC for not sending a cabinet level representative to the meeting, alleging a “lack of political leadership”.

He said: “This is a situation that has taken too long to get to this stage - we are now only looking at options.”

He added that since his and Dr Sullivan’s election last year the Galley Hill Road situation was his first priority and said government funding would take the form of a loan.

Mr Howe said later there had been many delays in surveying, getting landowners on board and getting access to the site. But funding will have to come from the government.

He added: “The reality is that the (undisclosed) figure we have been given is not what it is going to cost because there are all these unknowns.

“KCC does not have that money available, so we need the government to assist.”

Geotechnical expert advice has been sought and engineering consultants Arcadis drafted in to explore the stability of the geology, which is principally chalk, and to draw up preliminary designs and costs estimates for the work.

KCC has engaged a legal team to “ensure due process and manage potential litigation”, including recovery of costs incurred to date.

The council will cease to exist in the coming years to make way for a slimmed down system of local government.

Kent’s 14 elected authorities are likely to be reduced to around three unitary authorities.

Click here to read more about the options being tabled as part of the shake up

The unitary council covering the Dartford area will inherit not only the collapse of the road but also the protracted legal battle that could be under way.