A tenant is looking for somewhere else to live after being told he now has to park "half-a-mile away" from his home in a seven-floor multi-storey.

Matt Clubb was attracted to his town centre apartment because the tenancy came with free parking around the corner.

But the council-owned car park at Slicketts Hill, Chatham, is soon to be shut.

Instead, he has been offered a space at The Brook, next to the Pentagon shopping centre.

His other option was to park in Union Place car park but that has recently been controversially blocked by developers who want to turn the former Buzz Bingo site into flats.

Digital portfolio manager Matt said: "I am now having to find a new home as I cannot be walking at night half-a-mile to my car.

"Chatham is not safe in the day, let alone at night."

The Brook has a chequered past. After a long history of problems with anti-social behaviour such as drug-taking, in 2019 it was the subject of a petition demanding action because it was deemed to be in an "appalling state".

Last year, Medway Council gave it a makeover in an effort to make it a more attractive place to park.

Matt added: "The permits office response is always the same – they are required to provide parking but no stipulation as to how far away it is."

Matt, who has lived at his two-bedroom flat at Imperial Gate for four years, has also offered to pay for a residents' parking space nearer to his home. But he said this has been declined.

He said: "I don't actually have to put in an offer at all, as it was part of the deal when I move in that I got free parking."

A spokesman for Medway Council said: "We are currently looking into the resident’s complaint.

"It would be inappropriate for us to comment whilst we’re looking into this matter."

Both the Slicketts Hill and Queen Street car parks have been sold and were due to close permanently on December 31.

However, the council has decided to keep them open before the new owners officially take over and while the situation with the Union Place site is resolved.