Unauthorised works at an "irreplaceable" woodland site has prompted calls for a change in the law to get tougher on illegal developments.

Gravesham council is compiling evidence to take a landowner back to court over activities it suspects are in breach of a court injunction at Fowler's Stone Wood.

It comes after complaints from local residents of more resurfacing works on the protected plot off Harvel Road, near Vigo Village earlier this week.

Unauthorised activity was first reported at the controversial Woodlands site in April 2020, leading to a High Court hearing which determined the development was illegal.

Landowners stationed caravans, mobile homes and other fixed structures on the plot including a timber climbing frame, trampoline and a chicken coop without the relevant planning permissions.

Gravesham council was granted an interim injunction by the High Court preventing work on site, which is deemed an “irreplaceable habitat” and sits within the Green Belt and the Meopham Down Special Landscape Area. It is also covered by a Woodland Tree Preservation Order.

The landowner, Gareth Daniel Sullivan, was later jailed for a year in October by the High Court, having accepted he was in breach of that injunction.

He had launched an appeal against the council's decision to refuse planning permission.

But in May a government inspector rejected Mr Sullivan’s appeal citing several reasons, including a failure to serve notice on other interested parties and erroneous information.

The council's enforcement officers visited the site earlier this week and it now believes additional works taking place are in breach of a High Court injunction and a current enforcement notice served in January.

It says it is aware of residents' frustrations regarding the activity but "cannot shortcut" legal processes.

Cllr Lauren Sullivan (Lab), the council’s cabinet member for strategic environment, said: “We are very much aware of the concerns of local residents and their desire for swift action to protect the woodland, and we share those concerns.

"However, we have to ensure we follow the correct legal procedures, which can be frustrating in the length of time this involves. We cannot shortcut them.

“I would like to assure local residents we continue to monitor and log all activity at Fowlers Stone Wood as we build our case to present to the High Court, which we will do as quickly as we can.”

The deputy leader of the Conservative Group Ejaz Aslam praised the council's response after initially claiming they had been too slow to respond.

"There was not enough communication from the council initially but they are now putting that right," he said. "I think they realise how important this is."

The Meopham South and Vigo ward councillor said he had "taken the brunt" of a large number of complaints from "vociferous" residents who were rightly angered and he was sympathetic with.

Cllr Aslam says the council and police are doing all they can but he believes a legislative change is now needed.

"The law needs to change," he added. "If someone insists on doing things like this the police should have powers to arrest them and take them to court."

The ward councillor says he is lobbying Gravesham MP Adam Holloway to see what can be done and will continue to engage with residents over their concerns.