A truck load of beds and mattresses have been seen being delivered to a property which has been earmarked as a potential home for asylum seekers.

On Thursday, the owner of a neighbouring business to Anchorage House in Chatham High Street said he spotted around 80 mattresses being dropped off.

Formerly Medway's County and Family Court, the tower block was being considered for use by the Home Office since December.

Kelly Tolhurst, MP for Rochester and Strood, is hopeful the mattresses are being delivered for another reason.

She said as far as she was aware no approval had been given for people seeking asylum to be housed in the 11-storey building.

Speaking to KentOnline, she said: “It has not been given the go-ahead and it has not been agreed, but then the idea is also not off the table.

“However, that does not stop them doing it. I don’t trust the Home Office.”

Ms Tolhurst says she has been regularly checking in on the situation and has not had any information confirming an agreement being made.

She added: “I will be doing all I can to stop it.”

A business owner who spotted the mattresses arriving is unhappy if the decision has been made without public consultation.

“It is quite devastating that businesses have not been contacted,” he said.

“They seem to be trying to do it under the cover of darkness and not notifying businesses or residents about their intentions.”

The businessman, who did not wish to be named, said he agrees with helping anyone who needs it, but feels the locals in the town need help too.

He said: “This part of the town is depressed anyway. All these new flats going up were supposed to be rejuvenating the town but that’s all going to come to a halt now.

“People won’t want to move here if there are lots of asylum seekers.”

And he feels housing should be offered to people who have been on the waiting list first.

“There’s enough people in the area who have been waiting on lists to get accommodation. It’s a real bad shout to let asylum seekers jump the queue. How is that fair?”

He believes the timing is particularly bad as events such as the recent Sun Pier Festival are aiming to give the area a boost.

“It’s going to kill this part of town now,” he said. “So many people flooded here for the festival. That will stop.”

He added: “I know these people need help and that’s a shame but at the moment the town needs help too.”

Speaking in December Ms Tolhurst said: “The Home Office has confirmed that Anchorage House has been put forward by their contractors Clearsprings as a potential site to utilise for housing asylum seekers.

"I have made it clear to Home Office officials and the Immigration Minister that I object to this site being used for that purpose, the site is not suitable and it is a totally inappropriate location.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “The number of people arriving in the UK who seek asylum and require accommodation has reached record levels, placing unprecedented pressures on the asylum system.

“The government is working with all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland to provide more cost-effective and suitable accommodation for asylum seekers.

“More than £21 million in grant funding has already been provided to help local authorities respond to challenges in their area.”