A controversial plan to build a £40 million cement works has been given the go-ahead.

Those behind the plan for Sheerness Docks say the venture, which will create 500,000 tonnes of cement a year, will be the "most modern cement production plant in Europe".

The green light was given despite concerns about the impact it will have on the Island's road network and residents' health.

Councillors ignored a petition signed by more than 1,000 people and unanimously approved the plans during a meeting of the Kent County Council's planning applications committee this morning (Wednesday).

KCC's officers recommended approval and insisted the impact of noise would be closely monitored and managed and the movement of lorries during the night would be restricted to only once a month and that residents would be warned in advance.

They also concluded if a particulate and dust management plan was put in place and followed, the council would have no objections on the grounds of air quality.

They were also satisfied the development would not impact on people's health.

It is estimated the site would generate 144 lorry movements every day once it is operational, although this was a "worst-case scenario".

Furthermore, it was predicted the traffic on the A249 would increase by 1% as a result of the development.

The cement works is expected to generate 52 jobs.

Stuart Mason Elliot, director of Hercules Enterprises which is behind the plans, said the venture will help move the production of cement away from relying on road transport.

He told councillors the company had volunteered to curb the amount of night time HGV movements so it would be a "good neighbour" despite this limiting the site's operations.

He added: "This is not an open, dated, dusty, old operation but a fully-enclosed, clean, modern, environmentally-responsible and sustainable plant designed to be a good neighbour to residents and other occupants of the port."

Sheerness Town Council vice-chairman Dolley White said KCC's highways assessments were "not fit for purpose" adding: "It doesn't matter about the two hours of traffic as you sit outside the dock entrance every day if it's a clear day and nobody else has had problems.

"If this application was at Thurrock, or even at a dock just outside Sheerness, it would be absolutely fantastic because they are all set up for it. But you are asking little residential roads to handle HGV movements they were never set up to do"

She predicted: "It will take one traffic problem to force vehicles to go through the middle of residential areas where there are GP surgeries, schools, old people's homes and pedestrian areas. It's just not appropriate."

The plan was backed by both of Sheppey's county councillors Andy Booth and Cameron Beart.

Cllr Beart said afterwards: "I had major concerns at first when this was submitted but having undertaken the site visit, gone through the proposals in fine detail, listened to the expert opinions of our consultees and read the excellent officer's report breaking down every detail, I could find no valid reason to refuse this application.

“The entire process is enclosed. A ship will be unloaded quayside and the material put into a hopper that is vacuum sealed. It will then be transported by enclosed tubes to the processing hall where it will be mixed and then either transferred to the internal bagging hall where it will be bagged and palleted or to silos that will discharge straight into tankers.

"At no point in the process is material open to the elements.

"To me, this is nothing more than a batching plant, not a traditional cement works. There will be no kilns for burning, all the materials will be imported from elsewhere. It will create manufacturing jobs for the island on a brownfield site within the working port."

He said the petition was not ignored but added: "The problem was the very basis of the petition was factually inaccurate but it was considered and mentioned during the debate."