Plans to move Faversham war memorial, which have been put forward for the second time, have been blasted as a waste of money, with fears of a “bodged” result.

A scheme to move the monument from the corner of Stone Street into the centre of Memorial Gardens, about 16 metres away, was rejected in 2016 in Swale Borough Council (SBC).

Updated plans are now on the table and the War Memorial Garden Committee argue the current position is hard to access for some, and the new space is more appropriate for laying wreaths and days of remembrance.

The spot where the memorial currently sits would be turned into a peace corner, which will highlight local lives during the war, and “provide a place of reflection and contemplation regarding the past and present”, according to planning documents.

Residents have questioned the need for the move.

Deanna Neesham described the plans as “unnecessary” on SBC’s planning portal.

“It has served the people of Faversham for many decades since and remains entirely fit for purpose.

“Who are we to change this memorial and discard the work done by our predecessors to create it?

“I cannot help but feel this venture is a waste of money,” she said.

David Ashworth said he feared the memorial cross could be damaged in the relocation.

He wrote: “I live on Stone Street and have heard nothing but condemnation for this scheme.

“There is every likelihood that the memorial will be severely damaged in an attempt to dismantle it.

“Despite skilful work Faversham could end up with a bodged and damaged tribute instead of leaving well alone.”

However, planning documents say the cross can be moved easily, and the committee has consulted three stone masons on the topic.

The Faversham Society - a local charity which seeks to preserve the town’s heritage and runs the Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre - has also criticised the scheme.

“The present memorial is the form of memory chosen by those who were bereaved, traumatised and grieved and it is not now for us to alter it to suit an unwanted environment created by the whims of a later generation,” the society wrote on their website.

However, Tom Gates, a member of the War Memorial Garden Committee, wrote in support of the scheme, saying the new position “will afford easy access for those with mobility problems, unlike the present sitting where difficult high steps have to be negotiated.”

He added that other war memorials have been moved before, such as ones in Cambridge and Sittingbourne.

The application will not be decided by the planning committee, but rather by council officers.

A deadline for the decision is July 25.