KCC's first environment chief says she remains "confident" the county will be carbon neutral in 30 years' time despite controversial plans to reopen Manston Airport and construct several lorry parks across the region.

Cllr Susan Carey (Con), the first ever cabinet member for environment on Kent County Council, has maintained her pledge of creating a "green" county after being installed in her post by leader Roger Gough (Con) in October.

The Folkestone member said KCC would have to "move at speed" to achieve its twin targets of cutting down carbon emissions on its own estate by 2030 and playing an influential role in making the county carbon neutral by 2050.

However, concerns were raised by some councillors about the feasibility of the commitments as a series of infrastructure projects take shape in Kent, including the £300m Manston Airport, £6.6bn Lower Thames Crossing - 14.5 miles of new roads from Gravesend to Essex - and several Brexit lorry parks.

Thanet county councillor Karen Constantine (Lab), who opposes the revival of the East Kent airport, which is due to be reconstructed by 2035, said: "I do not see how you can allow an airport to open and achieve net zero carbon targets."

KCC Green Party leader Cllr Martin Whybrow added: "I think it is a complete dilemma for the council.

"There is no way you can build more and more road infrastructure whilst also continuing to achieve net zero carbon."

However, KCC's environment portfolio holder said she did not see a "conflict" between people travelling by air or car and "caring" for the environment.

Cllr Carey said: "It's not about stopping the economy or stopping projects that are going ahead. Manston airport is not a decision for KCC, it is something we will live with, whichever way that develops."

County Hall has cut carbon emissions on its own estate by 45% between 2010 and 2019. In addition, 123,000 streetlights have been converted to LED bulbs.

Laser Energy, a part of Commercial Services Kent, a company owned by KCC, has developed a tool to assess various actions and forecast their impact to help achieve net zero.

This includes investing in renewable energy, installing solar panels, shifting to electric vehicles and smarter working practices, such as less car mileage. A large programme to decarbonise KCC's own buildings is also taking place.

Cllr Carey said residents in Kent can also help. She said: "As individuals we can all do quite a lot to help on the environment front simply by reducing the amount of waste we create, recycling more and segregating our waste."

In Maidstone, a heating project is being explored which will use sewage to heat the area around County Hall and neighbouring buildings and make use of water from the River Medway to produce energy.

However, Cllr Carey said she was "concerned" about major plans to hold up to 8,500 lorries in Ashford, Dover and Thanet for customs checks after the Brexit deadline in December.

She said: "I am concerned about lorries full stop. My background is from the railways and I have always felt we could do more to shift freight to rail, particularly long distance.

"Hydrogen offers a possibility of making lorry traffic less environmentally damaging and hydrogen if used to power vehicles cleans the air. It is remarkable the technological options that are opening up."

Despite some of these obstacles, Cllr Carey said: "We are very confident we can do this."

A report on KCC's accelerated plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030 will go before Maidstone County Hall's environment and transport Cabinet Committee in September, ahead of a proposed key decision.

Keep up- to-date with developments on transport and stories that will impact how you travel