PLANS to introduce a Sunday market in a town centre have been labelled an ‘unmitigated disaster’ by churchgoers.

Dartford Council has proposed to introduce a weekly market on Sundays and Thursdays and a monthly market on Fridays, including bank holidays, in the High Street and Lowfield Street in Dartford.

The decision will be made tomorrow.

However, the council has reassured members from Holy Trinity Church in the High Street that the market will not impact on their Sunday services after it received 16 letters of objection from churchgoers.

In a letter to the council, Peter Shackleton wrote: "This proposal, if approved, will be an unmitigated disaster for our town and I wish to register my strongest opposition to this application."

He went on to say: "Services at Holy Trinity will be completely disrupted and the quiet and serenity needed will be lost, probably for ever."

Amendments to the proposal were made by the council in July to ensure no music will be played during the markets on Sunday and no market will be carried out on holy days such as Maundy Thursday.

Leader of the council Jeremy Kite says there was never an intension to disturb the church.

He said: “Because our market traders had absolutely no intention to create any unhelpful noise or hassle, they didn't suggest what seemed like unnecessary conditions to specifically prevent it.”

However, not everybody is satisfied by the council’s response.

Michael Seager, 66, who has been a member of Holy Trinity Church for over 20 years, told News Shopper he strongly objects to the proposal on religious grounds.

The father-of-one said: “Too much of the special nature of Sunday, being the Lord’s Day, has been eroded, with shops being allowed to open.

“If there’s a market, it becomes just like any other day and it loses its meaning.

“The market would be a further blow to what is left of the quality of a Sunday.”

Other objections were made over parking difficulties that could result from the market, and article nine of the Human Rights Act was used to reinforce that everyone has the right “to manifest religion in worship, teaching, practice and observance”.

This was rejected by the planning officer, who concluded the proposal compatible with the Act.

Councillor Patsy Thurlow, who is responsible for public space in Dartford, told News Shopper the markets will be speciality, unlike the general produce market on a Saturday.

She said: “When people hear the word market, they think of the carrot man or the music man.

“But these will be speciality markets.

“We are trying to enhance the town centre- we are not trying to be detrimental to anyone.”

Reverend Martin Henwood expressed his concern about the application.

He said: "When we first heard about plans for a Sunday market we were concerned about any interruptions to worship this might cause and to the annual Act of Remembrance at the War memorial.

“However we have met with Dartford Council and they have been very helpful in alleviating our fears."