A blunder which will see plans to solve the nightmare of Operation Stack delayed by a year has been condemned as “incompetence” by a Labour MP.

South Thanet MP Stephen Ladyman said: “I am astounded that KCC have acted in the way they have.”

He was speaking after we revealed that red-faced county council officials have failed to carry out a crucial environmental assessment study on KCC’s favoured location for a giant lorry park at Aldington, alongside the M20, to replace Operation Stack.

He was joined in the criticism by KCC’s Labour group.

Roger Truelove, the KCC Labour spokesperson for highways, added: “This latest blunder makes you wonder whether the current Conservative leadership is serious about finding a solution to the problem of Operation Stack.”

The oversight means that a planning application due later this month cannot be submitted before mid-2009.

Mike Eddy, Labour shadow leader of KCC, said: “The Conservatives have been trumpeting around that they’ve taken a great step towards solving the problems caused by Operation Stack, by finding a possible site for a lorry park.

“But all they’ve done is literally that - they’ve found a possible site. They haven’t put in for planning permission yet.

“And now they can’t, because they failed to get an environmental impact assessment done. This is going to set the idea back by nearly a year.

Mr Ladyman added: “KCC assured me that they could find an off-road site that was acceptable to local people and would get planning permission.

“I was sceptical but they said they would be responsible for this and preferred it to a longer moveable barrier. It appears they were making promises they had no plans or ability to deliver on.

“As a result of this incompetence Kent’s drivers must face many months, and possibly years, of more disruption.”

KCC has admitted it is embarrassed by the delay.

Cllr Keith Ferrin, KCC’s cabinet member for the environment and transport said: “We were so busy working up the designs that the impact assessment got overlooked. There is not much we can do about it now.”