A group of environmentalists who are campaigning to save marsh land near the Dartford Crossing staged a protest outside the council’s offices.

Work has begun to build industrial units on Cotton Marshes, which lay behind the river path and the Queen Elizabeth II bridge.

The group is hoping that lobbying the council and Dartford MP Gareth Johnson will halt the development, and protect some of the rare and endangered species that are at risk.

They claim the marshes are home to a variety of wildlife including nightingales, reed buntings, sedge and Cetti’s warblers, butterflies and bumble bees.

Rebecca Hayat, from the group, said: “Nearly 2,000 people, most from Dartford, signed our petition and are feeling overwhelmingly frustrated about the wildlife we are losing.

“It would be a travesty if the cotton marshes weren’t saved, but in the very least the campaign will set a precedent to ensure further development isn’t done to the surrounding marsh land in the area.

“Ecological assessments and mitigating circumstances have been put into place for the water voles, however sadly their habitat and that of many other plant and animal species will still be lost with this development.”

But the council said the protesters are “calling up something that cannot be done” and planning permission for Crossways business park was granted more than 20 years ago.

A Dartford council spokesman said: “Protesters who have taken a recent interest in the development may not be aware that it has been proceeding for at least two decades. In that time, Crossways has been responsible for the creation of thousands of jobs and generated significant economic benefit for the town and the wider economy.

“We’re disappointed protesters seem not to recognise the significant amount of work done over many years to secure ecological safeguards on the site or of the council’s huge commitment to conserve and improve nearby Dartford Marshes.”

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