A councillor says more housing needs to be built in Capstone Valley to help protect the Hoo Peninsula from over-development.

Cllr Rupert Turpin, Conservative member for Rochester South and Horsted, lost his position Medway Council's cabinet after opposing the contentious local plan, which would see 12,000 new homes built on the Peninsula as Medway Council attempts to meet its 27,000 new home target.

Many on the Peninsula say the deal isn't fair - that the new homes would constitute unsustainable over-development in an area where much land is protected as environmentally sensitive - and some councillors and residents are even calling to break away from Medway Council.

Now Cllr Turpin has backed calls for more protection stating new housing needs to be shared by the rest of Medway - and has asked why no new homes have been proposed for Capstone Valley.

"There cannot be any blanket refusal to place housing in certain areas of Medway by any politicians, political parties or any group," he said. "All areas should bear their fair share of the target of 27,000 homes with no favour being shown to one area over another.

"I think there should be a fairer deal for Hoo. At the moment they've done SLAAs (Strategic Land Availability Assessment) and nothing has come out on Capstone Valley.

"It just happens that nothing is on Capstone Valley as a positive SLAA. It seems a bit coincidental."

Capstone Valley itself is in the ward represented by Medway Council leader Alan Jarrett, but Cllr Turpin said he didn't want to suggest the leader was responsible for blocking development.

"I don't want to get into a slanging match but it seems to be an anomaly that nothing is put on Capstone," he added. "No one wants housing on the country park, that's not what we're talking about. What we're talking about is land along North Dane Way.

"I understand they've got to put housing on the Peninsula but it has to be done fairly. Some houses could go on Capstone Valley, because for the people of Hoo it's desperately unfair."

Nevertheless, just as in Hoo, there will be plenty prepared to protest in Capstone Valley if the planners decide it can take more homes.

The nearby proposed Lidsing Garden Settlement of 2,000 homes brought protestors out in force, with Boxley Parish Council stating it feared the settlement could open the way for 450 homes earmarked at Gibraltar Farm and 650 homes at East Hill - and that the total amount of proposed homes "would wipe out most of Capstone Valley".

Meanwhile Cllr Turpin isn't afraid of ruffling feathers since being liberated from his old post - but he's not planning on taking up arms against the administration yet.

"I enjoyed my time on the cabinet but sometimes you've got to take a stand on principle," he said. "I accept that could mean I lose my position on the cabinet if I'm at loggerheads with the administration, but there are a good number of people who agree with me.

"The local plan is very important but it's very divisive and the pressure is beginning to cause cracks and division."

He said he remained loyal to the party and had no plans to leave or back any alternative leadership challenge.

Nevertheless he admitted the situation was 'turbulent' adding: "Whoever leads us has got to find a consensus."

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