A housing developer has been accused of using “last-gasp” tactics in a bid to get an "unacceptable" development approved by the council.

Brookworth Homes Ltd submitted an outline planning application for up to 122 homes on green belt land near Brompton Farm Road, Strood.

National planning policy instructs local authorities not to permit building on green belt land except in “very special circumstances”, which the applicant suggested there were.

The developer said Medway Council’s inability to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing land was a reason to approve the plans, as well as telling head of planning Dave Harris it would consider increasing the affordable housing quota to “up to 50%”.

But members of the authority’s planning committee unanimously rejected the plans.

Cllr Martin Potter (Con) said: “It’s a last gasp attempt to make the unacceptable acceptable, and there is that fear that if you were to approve it, you’ve established the principle and they come back and say ‘oh, we can’t afford that now’.

"But, of course, you’ve blown away your argument about protecting the green belt and prevent that urban sprawl.”

The proposal included a mix of homes and apartment buildings.

A planning application of up to 135 homes on the same site was rejected in January 2017.

Cllr Jane Chitty (Con), ward councillor, told members: “That particular land was always to prevent urban sprawl.

“When the bypass was first brought into being and the plans were laid down, it was very clear that there needed to be a buffer and so, therefore, that was very much a major part."