A Kent MP has ramped up her campaign in Parliament to save industrial docks where hundreds of skilled jobs are at risk.

For the second time, Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst tabled a question in the Commons calling on the Prime Minister to lend his support to save Chatham Docks and review "unrealistic" housing targets.

The docks have been earmarked for closure by landowners Peel Ports with ambitions to replace the site on the banks of the River Medway with new apartments, restaurants and shops.

MP Kelly Tolhurst, who has been a vocal campaigner against the closure, raised the issue with Boris Johnson at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons this lunchtime.

She said: "Rochester and Strood is facing unrealistic housing targets putting pressure on the local council to bring forward a plan that will close successful working docks and the loss of beloved open spaces such as Deangate Ridge, all in the name of meeting an arbitrary target.

"Can my right honourable friend assure my constituents who are facing this level of overdevelopment that there will be greater flexibility on housing numbers so that the council can produce a local plan that delivers the appropriate housing but protects important sites like these."

The Tory MP has hit out at the draft Local Plan and claims the developers are prioritising short term profit at the expense of "long-term economic and environmental benefits".

But company bosses behind the scheme say the redevelopment could meet 13% of the Towns' housing requirement and say research proved it had the support of residents.

Responding to Ms Tolhurst, the Prime Minister said he was sympathetic to the Kent MP who was speaking for colleagues "up and down the country".

Boris Johnson said: "We want to make sure that councils are able to build in the right places and sensitively to local needs. That is what we insist on.

"Part of the merit, the genius of levelling up is that it will encourage us to take some of the pressure, some of the heat out of the south east of England which has been overburdened for decades and we can do it."

Ms Tolhurst has been a vocal supporter of saving Chatham Docks from closure and opposes Medway Council's plans to re-designate the land for housing. She asked a question appealing for direct support at PMQ's last year also.

Peel L&P wants to close Chatham Docks by 2025 to make way for 3,625 homes and commercial space.

Last year, it was revealed companies had been sent letters from the council directing them to a support package of up to £500,000 if they chose to move.

Sites suggested by the council included MedwayOne – an industrial estate on the site of the former Kingsnorth Power Station – and Innovation Park Medway, the council's flagship business park at Rochester Airport, but campaigners criticised these for being inappropriate for their needs.

In January, council leader Cllr Alan Jarrett (Con), who has annouced he is stepping down at the next general election, told fellow councillors he could not see public support for keeping the docks open.

But Ms Tolhurst, who is opposed to the plans, said she had not had anyone in touch with her to say they are in favour of developing the land.

Speaking last month, she said: "I dispute there is widespread support for this development. What we need is to keep good quality jobs, which we have at the docks.

"The docks are regionally significant because we don't have that kind of facility anywhere else.

"We need to keep that facility and make the most of it for local people, not for building flats that are going to be marketed in Hong Kong."

The Tory MP previously served as a housing minister before stepped down to spend more time with her family following "devastating" news.

Her campaign has cross-party support with both the Prime Minister and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer supporting keeping the docks open and protecting the 800 direct jobs and hundreds more supported by the supply chain.

Today was the Prime Minister's first appearance at PMQs since weathering Monday's no confidence vote which saw 41% of Tory MPs saying they had lost faith in him.

In a fiery exchange with Keir Starmer at the despatch box, Mr Johnson insisted he was “getting on with the job” following the revolt.

“I’m going to get on with my job and I hope that he gets on with his,” he said.