Bearsted residents are doing their utmost to oppose a planning application that would see their historic shopping parade demolished and replaced with a mix of shops and flats.

The Bearsted and Thurnham Society is working on an application to English Heritage to have the current building, which dates from 1902, listed and there is also a second rally planned in support of the existing shop-holders on Saturday, January 24.

A spontaneous rally on the day the news broke of the planning application from Evenden Estates attracted around 70 villagers.

This time, with more notice, organisers expect far more villagers may turn out.

Both Maidstone and the Weald MP Helen Grant and KCC leader Paul Carter have been invited to take part.

Evenden Estates owns the freehold of numbers 1 to 4, The Parade, which are currently leased to W.J.Crouch and Son, butchers; Bearsted Computer Solutions and Taylors the Newsagents.

The owners want to redevelop to provide three new shops and seven flats above them.

Rob Crouch, who owns W.J.Crouch and Sons - still known locally by its previous name Rickwoods - said that although Evenden had suggested his store could move back into one of the new units when they were completed, moving out for a year while building work was carried out would destroy the business.

Maidstone council has so far received 346 letters of objection from members of the public, including letters from local ward councillors Mike Cummings and Valerie Springett.

Mary Richards, secretary of the Bearsted and Thurnham Society, said: “The existing tenants are well used community businesses and the building forms an important part of the Bearsted Green Conservation Area.

“We hope as many people as possible will join us for the rally on Bearsted Green at 10.30am.”