A campaign fighting to avoid hundreds of jobs being lost has received the support of the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer.

Businesses based at Chatham Docks fear they will be forced to move if the industrial site is allocated for a housing development in the upcoming Medway Local Plan.

The land has been earmarked as having the potential for redevelopment for homes, leisure and retail outlets.

The Labour leader said he was "proudly backing the campaign" which has already received cross-party support through Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst, Labour councillors and Liberal Democrats in the Towns.

The Conservative group at Medway Council has consistently said it would be "entirely improper to express a preference" before the Local Plan was published.

Campaigners want to protect jobs at the docks and Sir Keir says it will be vital to keep employment in the wake of the crisis this year.

He said: "We can’t recover from a health and economic crisis like coronavirus on the back of unemployment.

"That’s why I’m proudly backing the campaign to protect quality jobs at Chatham Docks.

"This campaign also shows the importance of Labour in local government – fighting for jobs, communities and people across the country.

"I’m looking forward to working closely with councillors like the Medway Labour team to win the trust of voters and campaign on issues that make a real impact."

A group of businesses at the docks has this week released a campaign video highlighting the impact to the Towns if the port is closed down .

Chief executive of ArcellorMittal Kent Wire Phil Taylor, who also leads the association formed to save the docks, said: "At a time when so many people are already struggling to deal with the impact of Covid-19 on their finances the last thing they need is to suffer such a hammer-blow from their own council.

"If Chatham Docks were to close it would have a devasting effect on Medway.

"I would urge anyone interested in the future prosperity of Medway to watch our film and write to Medway Council."

Ms Tolhurst has previously referred to closing the docks as "short-sighted" and has repeatedly criticised the move, including during her election campaign last year.

Cllr Vince Maple (Lab), opposition leader at Medway Council, said: "It's fantastic to have Keir Starmer on board with this campaign. Why would we put at risk the best part of 1,000 highly skilled local jobs?

"Medway Council could be making this safe with the changing of a couple of sentences.

"We've now got support of Sir Keir and a Conservative minister in Kelly Tolhurst and it's cross-party.

"I would urge the council's cabinet to think very carefully about putting those jobs at risk – particularly with the combination of coronavirus and Brexit.

"We've got flourishing businesses investing in Medway, not pulling out."

The Local Plan had been due to be revealed on August 4 when cabinet members met for a virtual meeting.

But the publication date was delayed again until next spring, the meeting was told.

The draft will be based on evidence gathered during the past few years including an assessment carried out which said the Chatham Docks site was "suitable and available" for redevelopment.

Medway Labour lost a motion presented to the full council in January asking for a commitment to defend the 800 jobs directly linked at Chatham Docks.

Landowners Peel L&P say they intend to close the port in 2025 when the current leases expire for the firms which occupy the site.

An expert previously warned closing the docks will cost the Medway economy almost £260 million a year with 2,000 job losses through direct and supply chain employment.

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