The owners of a site that has been operating as a 24-hour lorry park have applied to continue doing so for another two years.

The site at Otterpool Quarry in Ashford Road, Sellindge, has accommodated an “overspill” of lorries without planning permission since summer 2015.

The proposal includes 73 lorry bays, four staff parking spaces and two permanent office areas with a toilet and shower for drivers.

Advisory route signs are set to be placed en-route.

A planning statement from the applicant, Patrick Breen who also owns the Airport Cafe, said that “due to the lack of HGV parking along the A20, M20 and Kent in general, the site was utilised as an overspill lorry park.”

The lorry park is opposite the popular cafe.

Retrospective permission is sought from Shepway District Council for the site to be used as a temporary lorry park until April 2018.

Mr Breen’s transport assessment says it will attract 152 two-way vehicle trips per 24 hour period.

This is said to equate to nine lorries leaving during the morning rush hour and 16 arriving during the evening peak times.

The proposal received more than 75 letters of objection and it is recommended that permission is refused when the application is discussed at a meeting next Tuesday.

Both Sellindge and Stanford Parish Councils have objected but Natural England has given no comment and Highways England does not object.

The quarry is a former mineral and construction materials processing facility.

Planning officer Richard Elder has noted in his planning documentation that a stop notice should be served “requiring the use of the land as a lorry park to cease immediately.”

It is up to the planning committee whether or not it will endorse the recommendation or grant the applicant the permission sought.