The council has conducted an urgent inspection of work at a town centre building site after discovering it is being marketed as a hostel rather than a hotel.

Developer HFHA Group Ltd has planning permission to turn the empty offices inside the towering six story Cygnet House in Windmill Street into a hotel with 60 en suite rooms.

However, the company is advertising the development as the Journeys Gravesend Hostel with accommodation starting from £9 per night, due to open in May.

Investigating officers have reported that work being carried out is not in accordance with the approved plans. As a result the council is seeking legal advice to determine all options open to it, including the possibility of obtaining an injunction to prevent the property opening as a hostel.

The council is also considering what action can be taken to prevent contravention of existing planning permission.

Council leader Cllr Mike Snelling said: “The approval of the original scheme addressed the shortfall of hotel accommodation and was something we welcomed. However, planning consent was granted for a hotel, not a hostel, and we will take whatever measures at our disposal to resist breaches of planning control.

“Residents can be assured that we will robustly defend planning law in this and every other respect in the borough.”

Read the full story in this week's Gravesend Messenger out Thursday, April 23