Councillors have argued moving a community centre into the High Street would make people visiting Chatham feel safer.

Multi-million pound plans to transform the former Debenhams are set to be funded from borrowing just under £18 million.

The proposals include developing the building's upper floors into flats, as well as commercial units on the ground floor.

The authority previously announced it had snapped up the site – which closed in January 2020 – for £2.2 million, using a grant from the government's Future High Streets fund.

Labour councillors urged the council to consider moving Chatham library and community hub from its current location in Dock Road into the ground floor.

During the meeting last night, the requested a feasibility study be carried out on the potential move.

Deputy group leader Cllr Teresa Murray (Lab) said: "Quite frankly, Chatham's had some really bad publicity lately and a lot of that was based on people feeling fearful and unsafe in the High Street.

"If we put the library into the heart of the High Street – rather than out of the way on the other side of the bus station where it is now – I think it would go a significant way towards making people feel safer than they do in the High Street and give everything else you're trying to make happen there more of a chance."

She added the move would "lift" the High Street and urged the council to look at different options for the scheme.

Cllr Simon Curry (Lab) said he had some reservations about the authority's development arm, Medway Development Company (MDC), leading on the project because of the workload it currently has.

It is developing apartments at Chatham Waterfront, Garrison Point on the former Whiffen's Avenue car park, and Mountbatten House.

He added: "I think alongside Trafalgar House (Centre) which is just up the road, these two sites are really key to the whole future to how the centre of Chatham develops going forward."

Deputy leader Cllr Howard Doe (Con) said while he had previously considered whether the current location of the library was appropriate, he felt it was best to keep it where it was and people liked it there.

He said: "The ground floor has got to make money, it's got to at least service its portion of the debt and I think that can be achieved.

"That's our prime consideration.

"Where it is, it is very central to that part, and we have got to have an events space outside it and it's excellently positioned with superb views of the river."

The council voted to turn down Labour's request for a feasibility study.

Next Wednesday, planning committee meeting will consider plans to convert the former Trafalgar Centre and NCP car park in Rhode Street into apartments.

The plans also include creative arts studios and co-working spaces.