Councillors are seeking assurances from developers after a road collapsed two days before Rochester's Dickensian Christmas Weekend.

Work is continuing to stabilise the road surface in Gas House Road, where part of it remains closed-off.

Rochester West representative Cllr Stuart Tranter said the collapse "could not have been at a worse time", causing disruption for businesses and people trying to access the nearby multi-storey car park.

Developer Countryside is thought to be aiming to get the situation "resolved as quickly and with as little disruption as possible" but Cllr Tranter said he was pushing for further information on what had gone wrong.

He said: "It is my understanding that contractors working on the new development had not refilled a hole correctly a few months ago and this was the reason for the road sinking.

"This area has a high water table. Years ago it was marshland and so it is very important that underground services works are carried out correctly so as to ensure all surfaces remain stable.

"I will be asking for more details and assurances going forward.

"It is so unfortunate that this occurred at the busiest time of the year and during our biggest events.

"Council officers were very quick to respond with guidance regarding safety, traffic signals and signs to keep the business estate open and traffic to the car park flowing, but frankly it could not have been a worse time so some disruption was inevitable.

"I understand repairs are being done as quickly as possible."

Engineers have closed one side of the road which requires emergency works "due to unforeseen ground conditions" resulting in "issues of stability".

A letter from Countryside delivered to nearby businesses explained that an emergency traffic management plan was put in place over the weekend and that it aimed to backfill excavations once the road had been assessed, by Wednesday, December 7.

A schedule of works outlined that the road would be built back up and recovered with asphalt before reopening on December 12 – although Countryside said the schedule was "heavily caveated on the extent of issues uncovered".

It added: "The programme will be reviewed and amended as necessary on a daily basis dependent on any further issues that arise and how works are progressing which we will aim to give updates on as when programme changes occur.

"Again, we can only apologise for any inconvenience that is experienced over this busy period and we are looking to rectify as soon as is possible."