Gravesham's MP has blasted the council for letting developers "take them for a ride" after plans were revealed to sell off the controversial Heritage Quarter development.

Adam Holloway said to call it a regeneration project was misleading as it in fact amounted to the "destruction" of the historic town centre.

He said: "It's an absolutely shockingly low quality project. It's always been one and I've seen nothing to suggest Reef's plans will be any different.

"No doubt Edinburgh House (EH) will sell on the development for a tidy profit.

"This is exactly what Urban Gravesham - the community group that challenged the council's decision to give EH planning permission - and I said would happen.

"They've sat on the land and taken the council for a ride."

Our sister paper the Gravesend Messenger earlier reported Reef Estates was in the process of buying the £120 million project.

The company, which has previously developed the centres of Oxford and Gloucester, hopes to bring a cinema, new restaurants, shops, open spaces and flats to the town.

It's plans will be broadly the same as EH's.

Planning permission for the Market Square car park area is still active and Reef confirmed with the exception of removing some underground car parking and moving a planned hotel the scheme there will go ahead as proposed.

The hotel will be moved to the section of the project next to St George's Church where permission has expired.

The scheme, first mooted 15 years ago, has been plagued by set backs and some doubted it would ever go ahead at all.

But it's the sensitivity of the buildings planned and not the delays that anger Mr Holloway.

"Gravesham has missed a historic opportunity here.

"There's no doubt the town centre needs development and we need more housing but to cram shoddy minute apartments in does not work.

"A traditional town like ours needs high quality development."

A spokesperson for Reef said: "We look forward to working with the council and other stakeholders to create a mixed-use development that will enhance the vitality and viability of Gravesend, creating a place where people can live, work and play.

"We look forward to being able to say more in due course."