A war of words over house building has continued with Gravesham council landing the latest blow.

Last month Dartford council leader Cllr Jeremy Kite (Con) wrote to Gravesham’s leader Cllr David Turner (Ind) criticising his administration for not exploring urban development and instead prematurely considering building on the borough’s green belt.

Now in a seven-page response, Cllr Turner has outlined why he “fundamentally disagrees” with most of the points made.

In the letter he outlines how the council’s approach to the green belt has been guided by an independent inspector’s report prepared before the government increased the housing target by 2,000.

He goes on to point out that unlike Gravesham, Dartford has seen a large release of green belt land in recent decades for projects like the M25 and Bluewater.

He adds without that release Cllr Kite’s borough would be in the same position, saying: “The stance adopted in your letter is both unhelpful and misleading because it misrepresents what actually happened in the past.”

Cllr Turner, who last week left the Conservatives to set up an independent group, refutes suggestions his council has not worked with Dartford and has not explored urban development.

He writes: “As you will be aware, the recent consultation we have undertaken has not been an easy process and has involved considerable cost. Would this authority have even bothered with this if it wasn’t committed to find a way forward in which local people could be genuinely involved?”

He says authorities across the country who are in similar positions have agreed to developing the green belt, before saying that if land cannot be found in Gravesham for homes the authority will, as is usual, be approaching Dartford which has a “considerable land supply”.

The recent Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission report states between 2018 and 2050, 25,400 homes are needed in Dartford and 16,100 in Gravesham.

Cllr Turner concluded his letter, saying: “I should be very grateful to receive an acknowledgement you appreciate the greater constraints facing Gravesham and a commitment to Dartford working more closely with us to achieve the best outcomes for residents.”