A part-time fire station in Halling will close, despite residents' fears it could lead to a delayed response to 999 calls.

Plans to close eight fire stations across the county, including Halling, were discused by Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority today.

It has approved the closure of seven stations, which will shut by April.

One threatened station, in Horton Kirby, will remain open until a replacement is built in nearby New Ash Green.

The plans to close Halling station have faced strong opposition from local residents, who turned out in force when a public meeting was held in November.

However, Kent Fire and Rescue says full-time crews at Larkfield and Strood can get to the village in less time than retained firefighters who work at Halling fire station, as part-time crews have to be alerted by pager at home or at work.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) said no firefighters will be forced to take compulsory redundancy.

Instead, it plans to redeploy them to neighbouring stations or offer "alternative flexible contracts".

It also aims to open two new stations in the Towns, thought to be in Brompton and near Rochester Airport. Rapid response units, 4x4s and quad bikes could be used to respond to some incidents in an effort to save money and improve emergency response times.

Bryan Cope, chairman of the Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “The safety of the public and our firefighters is always our top priority. However all of the evidence shows that we have eight more fire engines than we need, even to deal with a major emergency.

"Several stations – some established in Victorian times - are now in the wrong location, while in other areas we need more emergency cover. We can’t ignore that evidence, which is why we propose building five new stations and closing eight that are not needed."