PLANS to build over 9,000 homes in the Capstone Valley have been castigated by MPs who vow to see the idea "consigned to the rubbish heap".

In an open letter, the area's MPs said: "The consortium obviously sees Capstone Valley as a vast money-making scheme, and does not care about the appalling impact that a development of this size would have."

The letter is signed by Paul Clark, MP for Gillingham, Jonathan Shaw, Chatham and Aylesford, Bob Marshall-Andrews, Medway, and Paul Godwin, leader of the Labour group on Medway Council. In it they say the plans constitute a huge threat to one of Medway's largest greenfield spaces.

"The Capstone and Hempstead area is our 'green lung' and has areas of significant environmental importance. The idea, therefore, of building around 9,000 new homes there is absolutely ludicrous. It would devastate this beautiful area by creating a new town overnight.

"Not only would this have a detrimental effect on our countryside, but it would also put an unacceptable strain on the infrastructure of local amenities. Medway is in need of regeneration, but it is not simply about building the maximum number of properties in every available space. We do not need to create whole new towns."

The politicians endorse the government policy of building on brown-field sites wherever possible. In Medway 80 per cent of newly built houses would be on such sites.

Medway Magna, the company behind the scheme, was incorporated last year, with an office at 81 High Street, Chatham. Directors of the company were not available for comment.