Today (Wednesday) is the last day for comments to be lodged on plans to build a giant cement works in Sheerness Docks.

Hercules Enterprises is applying to Kent County Council for permission for a plant to create up to 500,000 tonnes of cement a year. Raw materials will be imported through the docks.

In a public notice advert, KCC admitted the proposal "may affect the character and or appearance of the Sheerness Royal Naval Dockyard and Blue Town Conservation Area" and it may also affect the setting of a listed building.

The highest part of the plant will stand at 173ft (52m), taller than Nelson's Column (169ft) in Trafalgar Square. Admiral Nelson, who was no stranger to Sheerness, might be turning in his grave.

Jacqui Henderson is among those who have already objected.

She said: "This cement plant will be churning out 500,000 tonnes a year. Gone will be lovely beach days, replaced with acrid smell, dangerous pollution and massive trucks using one road into docks 24/7. We must oppose this."

Gillie Marshall-Howells added: "It doesn't appear to have been widely advertised. The council decided it doesn't need to advise neighbours of the application.

"The health and environmental implications are huge with three primary schools close by. It will also affect historical Grade I listed buildings within the dockyard."

Rosanna D'Apollo added: "We will be faced with acrid smells drifting over our Blue Flag beach which we all love and folk come from all over to visit. The dust will be super toxic and will be everywhere, in our lungs, out homes, over our food, gardens and pets. There are better sites to place it."

Another furious resident, Helen Hopwood, said: "This plan must have taken quite some time to put together. Blue Town is historically important, so much so that Swale council is paying part of a £12,000 structural survey on the 162-year-old Boat Store which could end up being next to a cement plant.

"If this goes ahead, our homes will be left in the middle of an industrial zone and I for one will leave this sun-kissed Island."

Sheerness town councillor Dolley White has launched a petition against the development called 'Stop the installation of a cement works within Sheerness historic docks' on Change.org.

She said: "This application will affect everyone on Sheppey. The production process will be detrimental to air quality. The overloaded road network will suffer greatly and therefore so will quality of life.

"The site itself is also expected to be in operation 24/7 which is unreasonable for a growing residential area. Residents have been poorly informed and as such a skewed view of the residents feeling will be represented, which is why I'm asking for support for this petition."

She is hoping to get the deadline for comments put back.

Swale council is already fighting to save the historic Boat Store in the docks which are run by Peel Ports. Residents also had to put up with years of pollution from the town's steel mill for a generation before it was finally demolished.

The company, which is based in Southampton and describes itself as a builders merchant, wants to construct the plant next to the reclaimed Lappel Bank on land currently used for storing building materials and imported vehicles or those waiting to be exported. It is not known how much it will cost or how many jobs it is likely to create.

There is a public meeting of Swale council's Sheppey Area Committee in the nearby Criterion Theatre, Blue Town, next Tuesday (Mar 15) at 7pm when the subject might be brought up.

Cut off for comments is officially today (Wednesday) via the council's email planning.applications@kent.gov.uk. The planning reference is KCC/SW/0016/2022. You can also view the plans here.