Residents have lost their battle to prevent a council from building social housing on a children's play park.

Plans have been approved to build nine bungalows in Sturry Way Park in Twydall, near Gillingham.

In November, the council submitted plans to build the one-bedroom bungalows with supported parking in the park off Woodchurch Crescent.

Originally, the council had wanted to build as many as 20 homes on the land, which led to picnic protests and pensioners threatening to chain themselves to the trees which would be lost.

The plans for the bungalows and 14 two-bedroom houses on nearby Eastcourt Green were debated by councillor's at Medway Council's planning committee yesterday.

Ward councillor Hazel Browne (Lab) spoke passionately against the plans.

She said: "If we are serious about it as a council to deal with the housing crisis, coupled with the climate crisis that we all know exists, this council has to come together and say it is going to do something about it; we need to be more ambitious in what we are trying to achieve.

"I would actually like to talk to you in terms of your obligations to protect the future generations and not build on green field.

"You just have to think about what is going to happen to your children and grandchildren."

She suggested a number of vacant car parks which could be looked at as alternatives.

As part of its plans, the council looked at developing 10 former garage sites, within its ownership and only one, a site adjacent to Lynsted Road, was deemed viable, which has been approved for five two-bedroom houses.

For both of the plans, the impact of losing the trees was considered; council reports say existing trees will not be cut down in Eastcourt Green.

Meanwhile, the plans for Sturry Way park were redesigned from their original proposals to allow for a reimagined play park and the planting of 22 trees to replace the 13 lost.

The committee's vice chairman Cllr Stuart Tranter (Con) fended off suggestions from opposition Labour councillors that the decision was political.

He said: "I'm very mindful that we have to build more than 30,000 houses and if anyone in this room thinks for one second we are going to get anywhere near that without building on some green space then you are just deluded, I'm sorry."

Members of the public shouted, "You should be ashamed of yourselves" and "Thank you for ruining the Garden of England" following the approval of both of the plans.

Medway Council has around 3,000 properties across Twydall, Gillingham and Rainham.

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