A firm bidding to build an asbestos depot is facing a backlash from residents living near the proposed site.

Debbie Hales set up a meeting over plans for her firm Asbestos First’s base, a former gritting depot in North Dane Way, Lordswood.

She said it could become a vital place for asbestos removal firms to bring small amounts of the deadly material cheaply – double-bagged and stored in locked skips – before it is moved elsewhere.

She said it would reduce fly-tipping and be better regulated than it is now, but those who live a few hundred yards from the site were hostile.

Howls of anger shouted her down when she said “it won’t affect property prices,” with one expert saying they would drop at least 30%.

And there were shouts and loud heckles when Mrs Hales said: “It isn’t fully residential, it’s on the outskirts.”

The site is near a play area, Lordswood Leisure Centre and Swingate and Spinnens Acre schools, whose head teacher attended the meeting.

Farley Close resident Lyn Reed, who arranged a petition with more than 1,000 signatures, said: “It isn’t on your customer’s doorstep, it isn’t on your doorstep, it’s on ours.”

Many of those attending had personal traumas. Medway is the second-worst area in the country for deaths from asbestos-related disease.

Once the genie’s out of the bottle, once the disaster’s happened, it’s too late.

Former resident Mavis Nye said: “I’m dying of mesothelioma. I got it washing [my husband] Ray’s clothes, that’s all. So you don’t know that you’re keeping everything contained.”

Ward councillor Alan Jarrett (Con) added: “Once the genie’s out of the bottle, once the disaster’s happened, it’s too late. It’s a mini-Chernobyl.”

One resident said: “All companies want to expand. All companies want to make profit. What will your planning application be in five years?”

Mrs Hales said no one could ever give a 100% safety guarantee. Neither could she rule out expanding in future.

But she said: “We’re a family-run business. We’ve been running for 25 years. We’re not allowed to do what we do without permission from the Health and Safety Executive.

“The regulations are pretty fierce. It has to be an impermeable surface, it has to have drainage, he has to have CCTV, and on top of that I work in the office [next to it] every day.

“It’s in our lives, it’s around. That’s not my fault – I didn’t put the asbestos in the buildings. I spend all my time trying to prevent people from getting exposed.”