Councillors have rejected plans for a business and industrial estate off the M20.

Members of Maidstone's planning committee voted against the proposal for Waterside Park, near Junction 8 for Leeds Castle, at its meeting last night.

Officers had recommended for the 40-acre development to be approved after Gallagher Properties and Marden-based firms Scarab Sweepers and Automotive Distributors Limited (ADL) reduced the size of the proposed site.

The initial plans for a warehouse and light industrial development were rejected by the council in February on the grounds that its overall scale, mass and design would be detrimental to the countryside.

If the application had been approved, the total built area would have measured at 45,000 sq metres and the development area at 10.2 hectares.

Last night's decision has been welcomed by objectors, including the Campaign to Protect Rural England Kent.

Brian Lloyd, a senior planner with CPRE Kent, said: "We welcome the decision. It was the wrong location and the damage to the countryside would not be tolerated."

An ADL spokesperson said: "This decision clearly demonstrates that the council isn't interested in supporting the growth of companies like ADL and its workforce.

"We will be talking to our staff, but given our site in Marden is no longer able to accommodate us, unfortunately we must now consider all other options, one of which is to move our operations out of Kent."