A road will be closed to traffic for 11 days in February while changes are made to a busy junction.

The work in Spot Lane, Bearsted, is one of the measures agreed by homes developer Bellway to facilitate its Parsonage Place development in Otham – more than one mile away.

The controversial scheme of 421 homes on land west of Church Road was originally refused planning permission by Maidstone council in July 2020.

But it was successful on appeal to the Planning Inspectorate in January 2021.

Construction is already well under way, across 39 acres adjacent to St Nicholas Church, with the first homes already sold.

At the moment drivers travelling north on Spot Lane who want to turn west towards Maidstone often cannot get onto the A20 because the junction is blocked by vehicles waiting to cross the road to head east towards Ashford.

Delays were expected to worsen with the increased traffic from the new development, so Bellway agreed to make the changes.

The junction will be widened to allow a dedicated turn-left lane.

The work, which will be done by Kent County Council, will involve re-locating a street lamp and a pedestrian crossing.

Spot Lane will be closed between the A20 and Shirley Way from Monday, February 6 until Friday, February 17.

Homeowners will be still be able to gain access.