Kent County Council has been accused of behaving secretively and withholding information about work on gas pipes in a nature reserve in Sittingbourne.

Cllr Nicholas Hampshire (Con) raised the concerns during a planning committee meeting as he appealed for members to object to the project, off Cryalls Lane, which would last for at least 18 months.

The site, which used to be a landfill, is now designated by Borden Parish Council as an area of natural significance and is used frequently by dog walkers.

Dotted throughout the land are gas monitoring and extraction points, which link to pipes buried beneath that KCC wants to carry out work on.

But as consultees for the project, a number of Swale councillors raised objections, arguing KCC has not made public any information or documents showing the repairs are necessary.

Their opposition to the plans follows a refusal to support a similar KCC maintenance plan for the same site in 2012 that was later withdrawn.

Cllr Hampshire, who represents the Borden ward, said: “Some aspects to the original (2012) proposal remain – most notably Kent County Council’s continual reluctance to make publicly available the detailed evidence to support the work.

“If there is gas leakage into the surrounding area and water table, why has this not been made available?

“Surely decisions such as these can only be made on the grounds of complete evidence?

"To not do so would set a dangerous precedent.”

He added that as someone living near the reserve he hoped it would remain in its natural and untouched state.

Councillors went against their planning officers’ recommendation not to object, and voted to delay making a decision until KCC offered more evidence to support the work.

The final decision will be made by KCC, although no date has been set.

A council spokesman said: “KCC has submitted a planning application for the repair and maintenance of the existing environmental control systems, on land forming part of the former landfill site at Cryalls Lane.

“The application is for repairs to failing infrastructure, namely the landfill gas collection network which requires the replacement of a number of lengths of carrier pipe and gas wells.

"Alongside this is covering some small areas of exposed waste and dealing with areas of ponding.

“In doing so, KCC aims to address the risks posed by the effects of landfill gas and leachate production – water that has mixed with waste and is leaking from the site, and the potentially damaging effects this can cause to sensitive groundwater and off site receptors in the area.

“This proposal seeks to address these primary issues only, and will, if approved, deliver them in such a way as to ensure the least amount of disruption and disturbance to the site, surroundings, and the wider local community.

"The application is not seeking to manage the closed landfill differently from the current arrangements and due to the small-scale nature of these works they will be undertaken with minimal disturbance.

"Public access will be maintained with some footpaths closed off to allow the works to progress safely.”