The Heritage Quarter plans appear to have cleared the final hurdle before work can begin.

The government has written to Gravesham council to confirm that it will not be challenging the decision on the controversial plans for flats, shops and restaurants.

Some had argued that the government should have the final say, including civic group Urban Gravesham which said council officers “misled” councillors by telling them there were no reasonable grounds for refusal.

But the Department for Communities and Local Government said: “The Secretary of State has carefully considered this case against its call-in policy. The policy makes it clear that the power to call in a case will only be used very selectively.

“The Secretary of State has carefully considered the impact of the proposal, and the key policy issues which this case raises.

“In his opinion, the proposals do not involve a conflict with national policies on important matters.”

It now seems likely that little can stop the £120 million Heritage Quarter plans going ahead, though they could still be subjected to a judicial review, should Urban Gravesham wish to pursue the matter.

An Urban Gravesham spokesman, who did not comment on whether they were taking it further, said: “We had always believed the decision was seriously flawed and that the advice given at committee was wrong.

“To avoid court action, the council must bring the matter back to committee. If given a free vote, we are convinced that the councillors would have rejected the scheme.”

An application to judicial review must be made within three months of the original decision.

A review will not be granted unless there is evidence that a legal mistake has been made.

At the planning committee meeting in April, the council’s planning officer Clive Gilbert was asked whether any of the reasons put forward by councillors could be used to reject the application.

These included loss of light, small flats, tall buildings and the look of the scheme.

Mr Gilbert advised that it would be “perilous, if not suicidal,” to refuse.

The first phase, set to begin early next year, will see three buildings, with 141 flats, restaurants, a 50-bedroom hotel and underground car parks, built within nine months.

A new town square will be built over the car park next to the market off Queen Street. Parking will be moved underground and flats will be built above what is likely be restaurants.

This phase will see the closure of the Horn Yard and Market Square car parks, with the loss of more than 200 spaces.

Nine months to a year after phase one starts, a detailed application for the second phase will be made, which includes redesigned grounds for St George’s Church, a church hall fronting West Street, a new look for St Andrew’s Gardens, and an enlarged St George’s Shopping Centre.