The fight to stop a proposed sand quarry being placed in a quiet village has been taken to the House of Commons.

Last December Kent County Council suggested 12 hectares of land off Roughetts Road in Ryarsh could be used to extract 3.6million tonnes of soft and silica sand over the course of 24 years.

The proposal, one of a number of suggested sites put forward by Kent County Council for its Minerals and Waste Local Plan, sparked villagers to form the Ryarsh Protection Group in opposition.

Yesterday Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tudgendhat took a 2,734-strong petition against the proposal, bolstered by a further 881 online signatures, to parliament.

Mr Tugendhat said: "For a village the size of Ryarsh with only a few hundred residents this shows how the whole community and many more have come together as one on this issue.

"I'm grateful to the Ryarsh Protection Group and Ryarsh Parish Council for the months they have spent getting so many signatures, no doubt all of those who signed will be pleased KCC's draft Minerals and Waste Local Plan doesn't include this site.

"Therefore the petitions ask the House of Commons to urge KCC to reconsider the allocation of a site for quarrying in Ryarsh, West Malling, Kent."

Ryarsh Protection Group committee members met with KCC Planning and Waste Policy Team in September, to voice further opposition the site being chosen for quarrying.

Gerry Boyle, vice chair of the Ryarsh Protection Group said: "We have engaged with our residents over the past year and our communities wanted their voices to be heard.

"This petition demonstrates the unanimous objection to the M8 quarry proposal. Parliament will urge Kent County Council to reconsider and we sincerely trust that our councillors are able to listen at this very important time."

KCC is due to discuss its Minerals and Waste Local Plan next Wednesday, November 28, with a further consultation expected next month.