Plans to fill up a pit with waste have divided a village.

Some in Burham fear it will bring more than 350 lorries “thundering” past their homes a day.

Others say their homes are already covered in dust from the pit and want it filled and capped as soon as possible.

Aylesford Newsprint has until July 2009 to fill and cap Margetts Pit, on the outskirts of the village.

The proposal has also prompted protests from nearby Eccles and Wouldham.

A total of 600 letters of objection have been sent by people from all three villages.

Dennis Langridge, 69, who has lived in Court Road, Burham, all his life, said: “It is terrible now but if this goes ahead it is going to be absolutely miserable. They should do the honourable thing which is to lock the gates and go away.”

But Sue Usher, 47, of Downsview, said: “Court Road would be affected and I feel very sorry for them but we live with the dust and the smell from the pit. I want it filled.”

The vice-chairman of Burham Parish Council, Cllr Bill Stead, said: “Our main worry is safety. The roads are not suitable for this purpose.”

Ian Broxup, finance director for Aylesford Newsprint, said: “We understand it is not the best situation for the people living in Court Road. There will be an average of 125 visits to the pit each day. That would be 250 traffic movements."

See this week's Malling edition of the Kent Messenger for full story.