Up to 600 jobs could be coming to Sheppey after ambitious plans to transform Neats Court were approved last night.

LXB Retail Properties applied to Swale council for permission to create the £25m Morrisons development at Queenborough.

Councillors gave their backing to the scheme, which will include the supermarket, a petrol station, hotel, drive-through KFC and 80,000 sq ft of employment space.

Cllr Mick Constable welcomed the development.

He said: “Outline planning permission was unanimously agreed, except for the entrance to the Rushenden link road, where we feel the KFC site could be enhanced.

“That matter was left to the planning committee’s three spokespeople who are myself, Ricky Barnicott and Mike Henderson, to liaise with the developers to decide how to improve the site rather than having just the back of a KFC.”

As well as a number of conditions, the council has also asked the developer to provide contributions towards various schemes, including improving the look of Sheerness High Street, the Island’s bus service and the Rushenden Relief Road, as part of a section 106 agreement.

The employment space will be mainly light industrial, distribution and workshop space although the units could be fitted out to accommodate modern office requirements with mezzanines, suspended ceilings and raised floors.

Cllr Constable said it had not yet been revealed which businesses will set up in the four smaller units on the site.