More than 200 people have registered their opposition to a green scheme labelled a scar on the countryside.

Kent County Council wants to create a cycle greenway leading into Loose village.

The plan is to improve the public footpath between Kirkdale Road, off Lancet Lane, and Kirkdale, as one section of a wider scheme to create a cycle route from Maidstone town centre through Tovil and Loose to Coxheath.

It has been described as ill-researched and ill-thought out by residents and Loose Amenities Association, which owns a section of the disputed path, is also vehemently opposed

A petition, launched on Sunday by the six households at Kirkdale Cottages, had garnered 219 signatures just 36 hours later when it was presented, along with seven pages of comments, to county councillor Eric Hotson (Con).

Cllr Hotson visited Loose at the request of the cottage residents to view the site.

Hilary Hunt from Kirkdale Cottages said the proposal would “make a scar along the side of the conservation area valley and create an unsafe cycle route into and through the village: unsafe for children, walkers, cyclists and all road users.”

She said although the petition had been initiated by Kirkdale residents, support had come from much wider afield. She said: “Many people visit Loose, used to live in Loose, or have children or relatives in Loose and they all love it and want to see it’s character preserved.”

The proposals would see the existing mud path replaced with a 2.5m wide path of crushed ragstone, bordered by a one-metre verge on each side where possible, although KCC has conceded this may not be possible over the whole length because of a high bank bordering one edge.

The path would be reclassified as a bridleway, meaning it could be used by horses too.

A different section of the same proposed cycleway, from Cripple Street to Old Drive, has met less opposition.

KCC projects manager Colin Finch met committee members of the North Loose Residents Association and Valley Conservation Society.

He explained how neighbouring landowners had consented to KCC moving their field boundaries back to enable the existing footpath to be widened.

A ragstone gateway feature will be built at the entrance off Cripple Street that will prevent the track being accessed by quad bikes.

After initial reservations, both groups approved the plan, and work on the project started on Friday.