There are fears the town’s multi-million pound regeneration plans could be at risk.

The Highways Agency has issued a temporary order blocking work from going ahead because of the impact the project would have on the A249.

The agency has enforced a “holding direction” directive following an assessment prepared by development consultancy Peter Brett Associates last November, which concluded the revamp would generate an increase in traffic on the “strategic road network” – most notably at the Key Street and Grovehurst junctions of the dual carriageway.

While the directive doesn’t prevent Swale council from making a decision on the application, which is expected to go before planning committee members in March, it does prevent work on the development starting until the issues are resolved.

The report says: “Whilst these increases are modest they could be considered potentially significant at the A249 Key Street junction northbound offslip, depending upon the operation of the junction at the time of opening the development.”

The direction will remain in place until February 20 unless the applicant, the Spirit of Sittingbourne, which is the local authority’s development partner, can submit evidence of suitable measures addressing the concerns.

Cllr Roger Truelove (Lab) said: “It’s similar to Tesco [which wanted to develop land at Milton Creek]. We gave permission but the Highways Agency wouldn’t sign it off because it wanted Tesco to invest up to £500,000 installing traffic lights at the Key Street roundabout to prevent queues of vehicles stretching back onto the A249.

“This is all about the impact on that stretch of road. They’re saying it will have a damaging effect on the junctions.

“The applicant has less than six weeks to come up with the evidence it won’t have a serious impact for the directive to be removed.

“If it’s not done by then it can have an extension, but if in the long run they say they’re still not happy the whole thing could collapse.

“Things like this do happen, but if we can’t remove the doubt the whole thing is at risk.”

Cllr Mike Cosgrove, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The Highways Agency holding objection is a normal part of the planning process where there are further details to be clarified. My understanding is that those concerns will be addressed.”

A Highways Agency spokesman said the agency was actively working with the council and other partners to work out what infrastructure was required to support local development proposals and how that infrastructure would be delivered.

Cllr Roger Truelove (Lab) has lodged objections against the proposal.

In a letter to the council he slams plans to build 215 houses on Cockleshell Walk and Spring Street car parks, claiming the design of the properties won’t fit in with the environment and the homes would add ‘substantially to heavy traffic flows’.

He doubts whether people would see a new multi-storey car park as a convenient alternative, especially those wanting to access services at the west end of the town.

He also points out that short-term visitors would be pushed into surrounding streets.

Cllr Truelove adds that arrangements for dropping off and picking up train users are grossly inadequate.

The principal behind the proposal is to create a vibrant town centre, embracing the area from the station to the High Street.

A key part of this plan is the public open space near St Michaels Road.

But Cllr Truelove says, a desire to create a sense of place and connectivity cannot be achieved while a large proportion of east-west traffic is using St Michaels Road.

He said: “Sittingbourne needs to make much better use of its under-used and under-developed land.

There is derelict and wasted land all around the town.

To make sense of this first stage of the project, a much more comprehensive plan for the existing High Street needs to be brought forward.”

Cllr Mike Cosgrove (Con), right, said: “The Sittingbourne regeneration is one of those rare opportunities where we as a council are able to make a difference to an entire community.

“Look across England and see which towns give the most variety and pleasure to their residents.

“I can name four such locations straight away: Canterbury, Chichester, Corby or Chelmsford. What have they got in common?

"Great shopping, multi-screen cinemas, good parking and a good mixture of shops, offices and in-town housing.

"But the one thing they all have in common above anything else is a buzz.

“That’s exactly what we are doing here: bringing back the buzz. We estimate increasing the annual footfall by a much as 400,000 people.

“Like all good schemes it has to have a good start through a proper planning application.

“We have got to change certain key areas, so we are swapping around existing car parks and changing roads.

“Overall, we have got an equal balance between existing and new car parking. We are also changing the roadway around the station and The Forum.

“We are signed up to connecting the existing high street with the new areas with walkways and footpaths.

“We have asked the public for their views through our consultations, and they say “yes please, just get on with it”.