The future of a multi-million pound redevelopment project at Chatham’s Historic Dockyard is uncertain after one of the main backers went into administration.

Inner-city property developer City Loft Developments (CLD) had been awarded a five-year contract to complete a £190 million project known as the “Chatham interface”.

The scheme was designed to turn 27 acres of heritage site between the Historic Dockyard and Chatham Maritime into a thriving space packed with restaurants, bars and shops.

Their plans included creating a new pond, car parks inside the covered slips, and three six-storey blocks of flats as well as 1,200 new homes, landscaped gardens and continental-style piazzas.

But the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), the main force behind the project, has cut ties with CLD after the ailing company entered administration.

CLD’s vision for the site, which was announced nearly a year ago and was four years in the making, has been axed.

Jonathan Sadler, development director for SEEDA, said: “A lot of effort has been put into this project. It is a shame that we are unable to proceed, but we retain ownership of the site and will be working with our partners to develop new proposals to secure its long term regeneration.”