Councillors are due to discuss the fate of a long-empty historic building.

Machine Shop 8 in Dock Head Road – next to Chatham's Dockside shopping centre – has been the subject of many plans, including to host a climbing wall and activity centre.

Although these were granted permission in 2017, it never materialised.

Plans were then put forward by WD Ltd, which also runs the shopping centre, to convert the listed building into a drive-in cinema with space for 64 cars.

These were refused in September because the application had not included assessments on how the proposals would impact lighting and noise.

The towering structure was formerly a dry dock which was moved from Woolwich dockyard.

New plans for the site will be considered during a meeting of the council's planning committee next Wednesday.

Dockside centre manager Anthony Sutton said while concrete plans for the space are still being kept under wraps, it will be used for leisure if the company gets the seal of approval.

He explained: "There is an application in for planning permission uses within the original planning permission granted for us to overhaul and renovate the existing structure.

"This is an amendment for the internal uses of the Machine Shop, but not a change to the exterior as in the original granted planning permission."

The plans involve covering the structure in a waterproof cover and a 50-space car park, and includes space for indoor sport and food and drink sales.