THOUSANDS of angry businessmen and shoppers in Gravesend have signed a petition to stop the council demolishing a multi-storey car park.

Gravesham Council is in discussions with developers to knock down Lord Street car park, which contains 500 spaces, as officers say the town has a surplus of parking spaces.

But 80 businesses have gathered 4,074 signatures in a petition because they feel the move will stop shoppers coming to Gravesend.

Printer Brian Habben, who owns The Press on the Green, in Manor Road, says knocking down Lord Street would "destroy local businesses and the town centre".

He said: "We need all the car parking spaces we can get to attract shoppers into the town centre, which is why I can't understand why the council says Lord Street is under-used.

"This is why we are going to present this petition to the council. It has to listen to local businesses."

But chairman of the car parking sub-committee Councillor Jonathan Clay said a survey carried out last July showed there is a 20 per cent surplus of spaces in the town centre, and knocking down Lord Street would be within that surplus as there are 2,500 spaces in the town.

Cllr Clay said: "Lord Street is under-used, stinks of urine and has structural problems. Knocking it down will have no impact on local businesses but it will improve the way the area looks and much-needed housing, a leisure centre and information centre will be built there."

He says if plans go ahead, 40 spaces in Eden Place will also be knocked down and the open air Parrock Street car park will be extended by an extra 66 spaces.

Cllr Clay added: "At the moment the council is in discussions with two developers and we will hopefully get the result within two months. Then we can submit a planning application."