A commuter car park plagued by anti-social behaviour looks set to close after 100 incidents in just six months.

The car park in Lord Lees Grove, Chatham, near Blue Bell Hill, has served commuters for 20 years, but now owners Tonbridge and Malling council is considering its future.

It comes after a spate of incidents with nuisance vehicles and failing to recover from the dwindling number of users, which was made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic.

TMBC council leader Matt Boughton (Con) said: "With over 100 different incidents of antisocial behaviour in six months at the Blue Bell Hill Commuter Car Park, we are bringing forward proposals to close it permanently.

"Since the pandemic usage has fallen drastically and, if agreed, then the Council will seek to utilise the land for another use.

"A few months ago the car park was closed at weekends however this hasn't seen reports of antisocial behaviour stop.

"Therefore we need to consider further action given the sheer number of complaints made by local residents in Walderslade and Blue Bell Hill village."

The future of the site, near the interchange of the M2 motorway and the A229 Medway to Maidstone Road, will be discussed at a council meeting on Tuesday, April 4.

The local authority bought the land – just over three acres – for use as a car park from Kent County Council (KCC) in 2003 for £100,000.

It constructed the car park with 278 spaces, two motorcycle bays and cycle racks and is very close to J3 of the M2 and not far from J6 on the M20.

Prior to the pandemic the site had successfully operated as a commuter car park, serving a number of private bus services that operated to London.

But the impact of the pandemic has meant that all bus services have now ceased.

The council says there are now only 17 season tickets holders and an average of 25 pay-by-phone users.

When KentOnline visited the car park this week, there were only 32 vehicles present.

However, the car park has become too popular at the wrong times and has attracted large gatherings of car rallies.

As a consequence, the council took the decision last July to close the car park from Friday night through to Monday morning.

This has been only partially effective as motorcycles and quadbikes have still been able to gain access.

In the last six months, police have received more than 100 reports of anti-social behaviour in the area.

The car park is covered by six CCTV cameras, which have been used to trace some of the offenders.

When KCC sold the land, it placed two restrictive covenants on the sale.

The first was that the land must be used as a car park for 20 years – a restriction which expires in December.

The second was that following the expiry, if planning permission were granted for a different use, then 80% of the enhanced value of the land should be repaid to KCC.

TMBC considers the use of the land as a car park is no longer sustainable. Income has fallen from £64,000 three years ago to £35,00 last year, resulting in a net annual cost to the council of £52,000.

But to close the car park would itself incur a cost. To fully secure the area with fencing will cost around £5,000 and refunds would need to be paid to the season ticket-holders.