Fears of “monumental chaos” have been raised amid plans for a huge roadworks project to accommodate a new Aldi supermarket.
The store is earmarked for land along the A28 Canterbury Road in Kennington, Ashford, and will be the town’s third branch of the German chain.
One Aldi is already open in Victoria Road, and another is under construction on Waterbrook Park in Sevington.
But now, a public notice has been issued which reveals how staggered roadworks over an eight month period will at times prohibit right turns from Cemetery Lane and Kinney’s Lane onto the A28 Canterbury Road, and vice versa.
The project will also see part of the A28 Canterbury Road close – from the Simone Weil Avenue junction to Bybrook Road – in order to carry out the highway improvement works.
The works will be staggered, and are not due to take place at the same time. As such, diversions will be put in place.
The project is due to start from July 28 and could last until April next year.
However, businesses down Cemetery Lane – which is home to a doctor’s surgery and garden centre – have raised concerns over how this will affect their footfall.
Deputy manager at Longacres Garden Centre, Sophia Hubball, told KentOnline: “At Longacres Bybrook Barn Garden Centre, we are naturally concerned that the difficulties drivers may experience because of the roadworks might disrupt trade in the short term.
“But we appreciate the need for improved traffic systems if we are to boost retail trade locally over time.
“Hopefully the works will be completed quickly and efficiently to ensure minimum disruption for us all.”
Bosses at New Hayesbank Surgery – opposite the garden centre – added “it is important patients are aware of this and to leave appropriate time to attend the surgery”.
Borough councillors Diccon Spain, Labour representative for Bockhanger ward, and Alan Dean, Green for Bybrook, are worried about the impact the project will have.
Cllr Spain predicts the scheme will bring “monumental chaos” and “gridlock” to north Ashford.
He has also criticised the lack of consultation with residents over the project.
He said: “The impact of not turning right [from Cemetery Lane] will cause massive disruption and all sorts of problems.
“So it’s an incredible mess and will be monumental chaos really.
“It’s absolutely critical to have those right turns functioning, without them, I think it will gridlock the whole area.
“And you don’t want anything impacting businesses like the garden centre, The Harvester and Grosvenor Hall either.
“This will be a disaster if they get it wrong.”
Aldi was originally due to open in Kennington, on the former Houchin Social Club site close to the M20, in mid-2025.
But with work stalling for more than a year, the German retailer told KentOnline this has now been put back to 2026.
As part of the delivery of the new supermarket, road improvements for the busy A28 were agreed with the retailer, and three-way traffic controls are to be installed.
A public notice from Kent County Council (KCC) initially informed residents in the area the works were due to begin on Monday (July 14).
However, the local authority has since confirmed this has now been pushed back a fortnight.
A spokesperson said: “As part of the permit conditions, Aldi’s contractor was advised to put in place advance warning signs of the works.
“This was not carried out and therefore the approved start date has been postponed to July 28 to give road users more warning.
“KCC has advised Aldi’s contractor that if the s278 agreement is not signed before July 28, the permit for these works will have to be revoked and the timing of the works will need to be replanned.”
Aldi says it has written to residents to inform them of the works, but Cllr Spain said this was “pretty late on” and now hopes Aldi will take any feedback “seriously”.
Transport planning company, Connect Consultants, which is representing Aldi, said in a statement to KentOnline: “We have been advised that the works are confirmed to start on 28 July.
“We have written to nearby properties and other stakeholders with information about the works and opportunities to ask questions/find out more from Aldi’s team – this engagement will be continuing over the next week or so.”
