by Hayley Robinson

A children's nursery has been saved from closure.

Little Treasures Kindergarten was under threat after a ­planning application was submitted to Swale council to build homes on its London Road site.

Owners Sue Jacobs and Debbie Cooke began looking for new premises in October after landlord Peter Chopra gave them six months to leave the site.

The women put forward their own application to change the use of one of the offices at the Oast House, in Bell Road, Sittingbourne, to a pre-school.

Planning officers ­recommended refusal, citing concerns raised over inadequate parking and a possible noise nuisance to neighbours from the playground.

But councillors voted in favour of the change when they met at Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, last Thursday.

Staff hope to be working in their new premises by January.

Around 30 children, aged from two to five, attend the kindergarten, which currently ­operates from a mobile ­buildingon land that backs on to Chopra and ­Associates’ Dental Surgery.

Mrs Jacobs said: " There was nowhere else for us to go. We had been everywhere.

"We broke the news to parents on Friday . Everyone is really pleased."