Plans have been revealed to add more beach huts to Sheppey's coastline due to high demand.

Swale council is looking to expand its property portfolio with a string of new huts at Minster Leas and in Leysdown.

The brightly-coloured shelters command a premium price, with one in Sheppey on the market for £32,000 just three years ago. But they can also be rented from the local authority for £1,330.20 a year.

In a document which KentOnline has seen, it says there are already 35 huts along the promenade at The Leas and 20 in Leysdown, but both sites could benefit from another 12 each.

At the moment, there are 328 people on the waiting list for a beach hut on the Island; 146 are requesting a hut at Minster, 13 at Leysdown and 169 do not have a preference.

Of the existing huts, 29 of the ones at Minster are privately owned and six are rented, while 12 are privately owned at Leysdown and eight are rented.

The council's annual revenue from the rented huts is £13,000, and an additional £16,000 is achieved from ground rent of purchased huts.

The document said: "To assist the council in generating additional income to help support delivery of local services, it is proposed to install an additional 12 beach huts at Minster Leas and a further 12 at Leysdown, in the existing locations over the winter.

"The proposal is to install the huts along the same line as the existing huts to ensure uniformity.

"It is proposed to have a number for private sale and some kept in Swale Borough Council ownership for annual or weekly rental."

The plans are now set to be discussed at Minster-on-Sea Parish Council’s next Planning and Transportation Committee meeting this Thursday.

Cllr Ken Ingleton, who represents the Minster Cliffs ward on Swale council, said: "Swale Borough Council has published the intent to build 12 [beach huts] at Minster and 12 at Leysdown with its budget consultation and the parish council put it on the agenda for members to discuss."

He added: "I think it's a good idea. It would encourage more people to use The Leas and it will give an income to the council to look after The Leas.

"The ones that are already there seem to be very popular."

If approved, the documents reveal, it is likely that huts will be installed in batches to limit the disruption to the areas.

It is unclear, at this stage, if the huts will be installed at both locations in tandem but, once all 12 huts are finished in each location, they will be available for viewing.