A consultation has begun to inform a community-led town centre regeneration project.

The Arches ‘Chatham’ Neighbourhood Forum (ACNF) was awarded £50,000 from the government to develop a Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO) for the former Go Outdoors building on The Brook, Chatham.

The camping gear store, which was previously occupied by Tesco, closed in August last year.

Now, the group would like to use the money to transform the site which also includes HomePlus Furniture and a multi-storey car park.

NDOs can be used to grant planning permission for specific types of development.

They can be used to bring forward the type of development a community wants to see in their neighbourhood.

The group has been working with research consultants Create Streets and running feedback sessions at the Pentagon Centre to hear what people would like to see from the site, with more events planned for the coming months.

The have even got budding young planners involved at Luton Primary School.

Children aged between five and 15 from Arches Local's Fit and Fed sessions were asked to design their perfect streets.

Jackson Fraser-Hague, ACNF secretary, said: “We as local people have an opportunity to play our part and shape a development which is vital for the success of Chatham and wider Medway.”

ACNF have also been working towards making their own Neighbourhood Plan which will inform future development in the area between from The Brook, Luton, and Shipwrights Avenue.

To take part in the survey, go to the group's website.

Head to our politics page for expert analysis and all the latest news from your politicians and councils.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway