An estate home to more than 4,000 people is set to be plunged into "absolute chaos" when 20 weeks of roadworks begin this month.

A £576,000 widening scheme is set to start on the Staplehurst Road roundabout opposite Sonora Fields in Sittingbourne, which will see temporary traffic lights in place throughout, as well as two standalone night-time closures.

They are to start the same day as a nearby sliproad closure, which has been causing traffic misery for those unable to access the M2 coast-bound via Junction 5 from the A249 at Stockbury, is set to be lifted after more than four months.

A new link road has been constructed as part of £92m flyover works there, and will be opened on Monday, January 23.

The Staplehurst Road scheme, originally planned for last October, was delayed until the motorway works were completed after a backlash from residents saying the dual closure would lead to gridlock.

But now Kent County Council (KCC) has confirmed the roadworks are to take place.

No official finish date has been given but the authority said “best efforts will be made by all to get work done as soon as possible”.

The project is being funded by housing developer Redrow, to help manage traffic accessing its new estate, Amber Fields, which is being built off Quinton Road.

In less than two weeks, work will begin on widening all four of the existing approaches to the roundabout.

There will also be an upgrade of a signalised pedestrian crossing, provision of a new zebra crossing and installation of a bus shelter.

Some preparatory activity will begin on January 16 to ensure the site is ready for the main work which will start a week later.

A KCC spokesman said: "For around four weeks there will be traffic lights at the roundabout between January and February.

"There will then be additional carriageway and footway widening works that can be completed without multiway lights between February and May this will be with minimal traffic management on the highway.

"Finally there will be carriageway resurfacing using overnight road closures from 8 or 9pm until 5am in May."

On one occasion, the Staplehurst Road roundabout will have its lanes heading towards Bobbing and the A249 shut, with a diversion via Sonora Way, Quinton Road and Sheppey Way.

On the other, access to Sittingbourne via Staplehurst Road will be off limits, with traffic sent on a 2.5-mile diversion towards the A249, Quinton Road and Milton High Street instead.

No exact dates or times have been provided for either of these closures.

Glenn Holliday, head of technical for Redrow south east, said: “In line with local needs and planning permission granted by Swale council for our development at Quinton Road, we are delivering a set of improvement works to the roundabout on Sonora Way and upgrading an existing crossing on Staplehurst Road.”

Cllr James Hunt (Con), who represents The Meads on Swale council, fears the temporary lights and eventual closure of the roundabout will be a nightmare for residents.

He said: “The diversion routes proposed are totally unacceptable and will cause absolute chaos.

"Sonora Way is totally unsuitable for the amount of vehicles the diversion will place on the road, especially HGVs, and without the suspension of parking restrictions there is no way HGVs will be able to navigate Milton Regis High Street.

“All surrounding roads will become congested which will have an extreme detrimental impact on residents.”