People living near Chatham Docks say they will be living next door to a potential disaster if plans to store explosive materials at the site go ahead.

A planning application has been submitted to Medway Council to store 2,500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate at the docks in Pier Road, Gillingham. The material can be highly explosive when mixed with other substances. It is commonly used in fertilisers but is also used to make explosives.

People living nearby say they have not been informed of the proposals and have been left with little time to object.

Some believe the site could lead to an incident similar to the blast at a factory in Toulouse, France, in 2001, when around 300 tonnes of the material was stored.

When it exploded, 30 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured.

Sarah Weller, of Augusta Close, found out about the plans after a neighbour put a note through her door. She said: “It’s not something you want on your doorstep. We live so close to the docks. We should have been informed of the plans.”

Tony Edwards, who also lives nearby, said: “The materials are explosive and in large quantities. The site is just a few hundreds yards away from our homes and from the police station.”

The proposals are expected to be discussed by Medway Council at the end of May.

Mittal Steel Kent Wire, which has submitted the plans, refused to comment.

What do you think? Join the debate.medwaymessenger@thekmgroup.co.uk