CONSERVATIVE Party leader Michael Howard MP is to visit the Sheerness steel mill on Thursday (September 2).

Mr Howard will be given a tour of Thamesteel in Brielle Way to see the progress being made by the company to secure its future and improve the environmental impact of emissions on the surrounding area.

The visit was arranged by Gordon Henderson, who lives in Sheppey and has business interests in Sheerness High Street, one of the areas that has been most affected by emissions from the works.

Mr Henderson, the Conservative parliamentary spokesman for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, said: "Like it or not, Thamesteel is vital to the future prosperity of Sheppey.

"At one time it was one of the island's largest employers, providing hundreds of jobs not only for its own workforce, but for many more people in local sub-contract and supply companies.

"Of course we paid a price for those jobs with a reduction in air quality and an increase in dirt and filth from emissions. Nobody can deny that 10 years ago the air quality in Sheerness was becoming quite unacceptable, and I speak from experience, because our cars used to be almost permanently covered in a thick layer of dust and dirt.

"However, although the problem has not been totally eradicated, the situation has definitely improved over the last few years. I know that Thamesteel is currently spending a lot of money to improve the control of their emissions and I am keen to see what progress is being made to meet the deadline set by the Environment Agency."

Mr Henderson said the visit will bring back memories for the Folkestone and Hythe MP as it was Mr Howard who opened the original rolling mill.

"The old mill was stripped out by ASW (Allied Steel & Wire) when it decimated the Sheerness plant and made hundreds of workers redundant," said Mr Henderson.

"I am sure Michael will be delighted to learn that Thamesteel is investing heavily in the town and that a new mill is to open next year, securing jobs for the current workforce and creating scores of other, much needed manufacturing jobs for Sheppey.

"I am confident that once Thamesteel gets the remaining emissions problem resolved, steel mill and town can co-exist quite happily."