Plans for a multi-million pound winery have been turned down.

The Kentish Wine Vault – a £30 million production hub including a café, visitor centre, and car park – on land off Upper Bush in Cuxton was set to be the UK's single largest vineyard.

But councillors' concerns about damaging the Green Belt and the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ANOB) saw Vineyard Farms Ltd's plan refused.

The extensive proposals first went before councillors in December when they decided they wanted to have a question and answer session with the applicants and carry out a site visit before they made their decisions.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Cuxton Parish Council chairman Kay Hutchfield said: "We discussed and looked at the pros and cons, and to be honest, we can't see that it meets the criteria for building either in an AONB or in a Green Belt."

The plans had been the subject of a petition signed by more than 1,000 people.

A group made of residents and parish councillors – called Cuxton Against the Winery – submitted evidence to the planning committee, and commissioned a traffic survey on Bush Road from where visitors would access the winery from.

The safety of the junction between the road and the main A228 was raised as an issue several times during last night's meeting, with councillors asking for further interventions to improve this.

Some of the applicant's ideas to encourage visitors not to drive to the centre were putting on a shuttle bus between Cuxton station and providing cycle parking.

Committee vice chairman Cllr Chris Buckwell (Con) said: "Cuxton is unique because the vast percentage of the population access the rest of Medway only through Bush Road onto the A228.

"What happens along Bush Road and what happens at that junction is so incredibly significant and we have heard recently, tragically, of a fatality."

Some councillors agreed they were not against planting vines in Bush Valley; 700 acres of land has already been planted and another 200 acres is planned for the next two to three years.

They did, however, have concerns about how an estimated 300 daily visitors would impact the village, and how the development would affect wildlife, despite planning officers concluding there would be an increase in biodiversity.

Ward representative Matt Fearn (Con) said: "The proposed building may bring some wider benefit to Medway in tourism and limited employment, but these do not offset for the high cost paid for the destruction for the ANOB, increased traffic, and high levels of air, noise, and light pollution for the community.

"The residents I represent have not argued against the vines, but against the commercial building on land within the Green Belt and the AONB.

Councillors said the building's design was impressive, with some liken it to a "Teletubbie palace".

A total of 85% of the building – which was designed by top architect Lord Norman Foster – had been proposed to be underground, and would have also included a biogas station used to make energy from grape skins following processing.

Cllr Buckwell added: "I appreciate the initial desire to bring some glitz, a fantastic new building and attraction into our Towns.

"But in weighing up the scales, I believe we shouldn't only be concerned about welcoming what might in principle advance our area and add attraction to it.

"We have a significant duty to protect our residents, protect the area we live in, and that area needs protection; it is not only special, it is precious."

Eight votes were cast in favour of refusal, with five against and one abstention.