There have been calls for the government to block plans for a multi-million dollar waterfront precinct.
Around half of the firms on land proposed for the Northfleet Harborside development, near Gravesend, have signed an open letter to Angela Rayner, the new Secretary of State for Communities, Homes and Local Government.
Gravesham Council granted outline planning permission for the project in May 2022 – almost two years after they were submitted.
To build the £40m project, existing buildings on the nearly 50-acre brownfield site will be demolished, while Galley Hill Road and Stonebridge Road will have to be rebuilt.
In its place will be a retail village of approximately 40,000 m2 of shops, cafes, sports facilities, crèches, medical services and community facilities.
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It will sit alongside a hotel, 3,500 homes, 18,000m2 of office space, 2,600 parking spaces and a new 18,000m2 football stadium with up to 8,000 seats.
This will almost double the capacity of the existing football ground known as Kuflink Stadium, which currently holds 4,769 fans, and is said to secure the club’s long-term future.
But Kent Chamber of Commerce Invicta said the scheme brought uncertainty to companies already operating in the area, with some facing the prospect of their premises being compulsorily bought.
The industrial estate off Stonebridge Road has many businesses, from wholesalers to concrete suppliers, with warehouses, showrooms and workshops and workers in PPE.
Chamber chief executive Tudor Price said: “We recognize the need to regenerate this part of Kent.
“However, the push to deliver new homes should not come at the expense of businesses already here, many of whom are in industries that depend on the River Thames for their livelihoods.
“We believe the council has failed to protect the conservation wharf, which is the lifeblood of many local businesses, particularly those involved in the production of building and road materials.
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“We hope that Gravesham Council will do what they said they would do and ask the Secretary of State to make an application.
“We need a forensic examination of the proposals before a final decision is made, one that recognizes the interconnected relationships that exist between the businesses that already exist here.”
Mr Price added that the plans could affect several large businesses involved in aggregates, cement and heavy industry as they rely on a significant number of lorries visiting their premises.
He said: “Most businesses would not be able to find replacement premises in the local area if land were to be compulsorily bought. It would lead to their closure and the loss of hundreds of vital manufacturing jobs for local residents.
“Building new homes, shops and offices in such close proximity to 24/7 heavy industry with its noise, dust and smells does not make good roommates.
“The result is inevitable conflict with new residents trying to impose their will on long-standing industrial enterprises.”
The chamber’s move follows news that land earmarked for the proposed London Resort theme park just a few miles away in Swanscombe has been put up for sale, effectively ending the prospect of it ever happening.
Mr Price added: “The Chamber is all for job creation, especially after all the years of broken promises surrounding the London Resort, the impact of Covid, high energy costs, rising interest rates and the economic slowdown, but such growth must be in the right place if it is to have a long-term positive effect.
“That just doesn’t seem possible if Northfleet Harborside continues.
“We need to celebrate the area’s economic past and recognize that the Thames continues to play an important role in North Kent’s industrial future and the livelihoods of the hundreds of people already employed by local businesses.”
Despite this, councillors, neighbors and football fans alike supported the project, which received more than 300 letters of support and only 35 objections.
Following the decision, KentOnline spoke to those who live and work in the area to find out what they think about what is being planned.
Thurka Murugaiyah, owner of Premier Mart, which is next to the site that will be redeveloped, added: “I think it will be good for business and the area. It will look different but I think it will be positive for Northfleet.”
The Northfleet Harbor Restoration Trust aims to restore access and use of the harbor at Grove Road and re-introduce marine facilities to bring people back to the river.
The charity’s chairman, Conrad Broadley, added: “It will be positive. I think the fact that it is called Northfleet Harborside shows the intentions of the developers.
“Gravesham Council and the developers have taken care to include the future of the harbor in the plans.
“It is very welcome. The port will be the focal point of the Northern Fleet.”
To view additional planning applications and other public announcements for your area, click here.
At present, only outline plans have been approved, meaning the council has agreed that the development is sound in principle.
Specific details of the layout and design of the development will need to be decided through further planning applications.
Construction work is expected to take about 10 years.
Gravesham Council and Ebbsfleet United FC have been contacted for comment.