by Alan McGuinness

A group of artists have produced a series of stark images in which they visualise what they think the effect of an airport in Medway will be.

The No Thames Airport Artists Group – which is made up of nine artists from north Kent – have put together an eye-catching collection of images, which they claim is aimed to "cut through the spin and visualise the case against such a development".

The exhibition, entitled Beauty or the Beast, will be launched at the Nucleus Arts Centre, off Chatham High Street tomorrow (Friday). The exhibition will run until the following Friday, April 5.

Among those who are expected to be at the launch are MPs Tracey Crouch and Mark Reckless and the Leader of Medway Council, Cllr Rodney Chambers.

The artists featured are Martin Booth, Karl Farrer, Jim Hill, Tina Lawlor Mottram, Stuart Ody, Peter Reeds, Teresa Tanner, Dave Wise and Kevin Clarkson.

Mr Clarkson said it will "highlight the devastation an airport twice the size of Heathrow would have on health and the quality of life of people living there".

He said: "These are issues airbrushed out of the visuals we have all seen that have been issued by Foster & Partners."

Mr Clarkson has produced a number of images for the exhibition, including one which visualizes how Medway and the surrounding areas would change.

One shows a plane landing on a runway with the words "Arriving in Kent" above.

He said: "I have tried to show just how close towns in Kent and Essex would be to this airport if built because whenever I read about this in the London media no one seems to appreciate just how many people would be affected by an airport on this scale."

The government is set to announce a consultation on the idea of an airport in north Kent this summer.

Architect Lord Foster wants to build the world’s biggest airport on the Isle of Grain, while London Mayor Boris Johnson has put forward the idea of an airport on floating islands out in the estuary.

Supporters of the idea argue it will bring much needed investment and jobs to the area, while opponents claim the financial and environmental cost would be too great.