A PARISH councillor has been forced to defend himself against further calls for his resignation.

Hollingbourne's Colin Leggat faced the first public calls for his resignation on Wednesday since news broke that he was selling land for the planned 264-acre freight depot in Bearsted.

Newly-elected council chairman, Cllr Alan Williams, struggled to control the annual meeting as protestors claimed Cllr Leggat, whose family has farmed at Woodcut Farm, off Ashford Road, Bearsted, for nearly 100 years, was acting to the detriment of the parish.

Some called for him to stand down.

But Cllr Leggat replied: "I am concerned about Hollingbourne; the village has been here for 1,000 years and will still be here if this goes ahead."

Cllrr Leggat said after the meeting that he had considered his position and decided to stay on unless public opposition became too great.

* See the Maidstone edition of the Kent Messenger (Friday, May 11) for the full story.