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Plans to expand a community centre and open a 100-seater restaurant are facing opposition from residents fearful of traffic problems and anti-social behaviour.
Bosses at West Faversham Community Centre (WFCC) want the Bysing Wood Road site to undergo a major redevelopment - with hopes of it becoming home to one of the town’s biggest restaurants.
A full-size dance studio, youth centre, nursery and multi-functional rooms are also planned as part of the £1.2 million expansion project.
The scheme will see weekly footfall at the centre rise from 3,000 to 5,000 people per week for its community activities.
That sharp increase has a number of nearby residents fearful over heightened traffic and parking problems, which they say have already reached “serious and at times dangerous” levels.
Objecting to the application on Swale Borough Council’s planning portal, Jason Garrad said: “Bysing Wood Road is a very busy road for Faversham, far too busy than it should be - this will add to that which is unacceptable.
“There is no need for any kind of restaurant, there are plenty in Faversham.”
His views are echoed by Les Biggs, who says emergency vehicles could struggle to get through surrounding roads if on-street parking escalates.
“Residents have to endure reckless parking on many corners, outside their homes and on corners of roads,” he said.
“The car park presently is too small to cater for current usage and will get worse in the future if the application is approved.
While Mr Biggs says he is “not totally against” the centre, he says living nearby can cause “anxiety” and believes the quality of life will be reduced as a result of the development.
But developers say the centre’s 40% expansion will not cause parking problems - stating that Kent Highways is “not aware of any particular issues arising from any existing overspill”.
They added: “Given the location of the site, and its function serving the local community, it is not expected there would be a significant increase in vehicle parking demand from the extension of the building that would be likely to give rise to on-street parking difficulties.
“It is noted that on-street parking in general is accepted on Wildish Road, and there does appear to be capacity nearby to accommodate an amount of overspill parking from the car park, if needed.”
They also say WFCC, which has a 55-space car park, has an “informal agreement” with Sainsbury’s to use its supermarket car park as an overflow.
Objectors also fear a potential increase of late-night anti-social behaviour from youngsters leaving the centre.
But WFCC says its mission is to curb such behaviour and highlights how the plans will give offenders a safe environment off the streets to develop their skills and socialise.
The centre’s CEO, James Browning, revealed two weeks ago that the restaurant will be similar to a Toby Carvery or Harvester in terms of affordability.
It will offer varying training programmes, including apprenticeships, for vulnerable people or those at risk of offending.
