THE plan for the Leybourne and West Malling bypass has been approved by the Government.

Secretary of State Alistair Darling has confirmred the £28million project’s side roads order and compulsory purchase order.

In a letter to Kent County Council, the Department for Transport said: “The Secretary of State has carefully considered whether the purposes for which the compulsory purchase order (CPO) is required sufficiently justify interfering with the human rights of objectors and lessees and he I satisfied that they do.”

Mr Darling also ruled that while KCC’s acquisition of Woods Meadow, Leybourne, was not part of the CPO, it was part of a separate lawful process and that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council would receive three acres of replacement woodland from KCC.

He accepted the planning inspector’s conclusion that the public benefit of building a bypass to free up the congested A228 Castle Way, Leybourne, would outweigh the harm to individual properties in the area.

Objectors to the scheme say it will not alleviate traffic jams because of the number of proposed traffic lights. They insist it would be an unproductive destruction of ancient woodland.

The majority of Leybourne’s residents are in favour of the bypass being built.

Objectors will have six weeks from the publication of the Secretary of State’s decision to appeal to the High Court if they feel that he has exceeded his powers or has not complied with statutory requirements in confirming the orders.