Campaigners are a step closer to winning their battle to stop hundreds of homes being built on green belt land in Gravesham.

Council leader John Burden said today the authority wants to protect rural green belt land under the council's Local Development Framework (LDF), rather than build on it in the next few years.

He unveiled the council's recommended blueprint at a press conference this afternoon.

The council needs to build thousands of homes and was proposing that some of them be built on green belt and green field sites.

But there was overwhelming opposition, with protest marches and other demonstrations organised.

The proposals will now see 4,600 homes built by 2028 with the bulk provided by approved developments, such as Gravesend's Canal Basin and the Heritage Quarter.

Cllr Burden said he was pleased at the number of people who had responded to the consultation. There were almost 5,000 objections to development on green belt land.

Sites in Meopham and Istead Rise were identified as potential development sites under the council's consultation.

Cllr Burden hopes the council will endorse his recommendation at their next cabinet meeting.