by Helen Wagstaff

Hundreds of people gathered on Bearsted Village Green yesterday to protest against plans for a massive freight interchange in the midst of the some of Kent's most beautiful countryside.

In all, 2,148 people, armed with placards and banners, walked from the green to the proposed 256-acre KIG freight depot site on Bank Holiday Monday.

Mid Kent MP Hugh Robertson (Con) and Cllr Paul Carter (Con), leader of Kent County Council, both joined the event organisers on a small platform to say a few words to the assembled crowd.

Mr Roberston said: "This proposal makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, you do not put developments like this next to an area of outstanding beauty, you do not put them next the two most attractive villages on the periphery of Maidstone and you do not put rail freight interchanges in the middle of a motorway stretch, you put them at either end."

Reporter Becci Hughes and radio reporter Laura Hartmann spoke to campaigners at the event and put together a special interactive report with pictures and audio. Click on the picture for more.

Helen Grant, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Maidstone and the Weald, was also on the green dressed in a protest t-shirt.

She said she was not surprised that so many people had turned out, adding: "I think people are very passionate about this campaign and about protecting the Kent countryside."

Brian Clifford, from StopKIG, the umbrella organisation supervising the public protest against KIG, described the turnout as "shear controlled anger at the absurdity of the proposal."

The walkers were organised into columns before setting off for the proposed KIG site.

The march moved along The Street, up Mallings Lane, and along a bridleway to the M20, past the proposed site of one of the huge warehouses, back down Water Lane, along The Street and back to The Green.

A steady stream brought the village to a standstill and young and old joined together to march through crop fields that could be concreted over to make way for giant warehouses should the plans be given the go ahead.

Despite the success of Monday’s event, the organisers were keen to remind people to keep fighting.

As protesters arrived back at the green they were encouraging people to turn out for Thursday's key Maidstone Council planning meeting at Maidstone Studios, when councillors will debate the KIG application.

However, the council will not decide the fate of the plan. A public inquiry will be held in the summer, and the final decision will be made by Hazel Blears, the secretary of state for communities and local government.