A vast green space which went on the market, sparking fears it would be sold and used for housing, has been bought and saved from development.

Gravesham council has revealed it has bought Hazell’s Farm, Durndale Farm and Wingfield Bank Farm, which sit between Istead Rise and the A2, to “protect it”.

The land, which is more than 160.91 acres, was put up for sale last year with a guide price of between £1,275,000 and £1,375,000 if sold together.

It was advertised as having “future development potential”, causing concern amongst those who live close by that the rolling green fields would eventually become housing.

But the local authority has stepped in, bought the land for £1,650,000, and intends to keep it as green space.

Gravesham council’s cabinet member for strategic environment, Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox, said: “I know when the land was advertised as being for sale there was concern locally that it would be bought for its development potential.

“As a council, we moved quickly to ensure this vital green lung will be preserved and used in a way that is in line with the current agricultural, natural and rural nature of the land while supporting our corporate plan ambitions in terms of our green spaces and climate change ambitions.”

He added that the land - which is bordered by Istead Rise, the A227 and the A2 - presents opportunities for something called biodiversity net gain (BNG) which primarily involves habitat creation, enhancement, management and monitoring.

There would also still be scope for agricultural uses such as grazing, dependent on which schemes are introduced. Public rights of way would still be kept.

Cllr Mochrie-Cox added: “The law now requires those behind developments to prove they are able to deliver BNG.

“It can be impossible for developers of brownfield land in urban areas to meet BNG requirements on those sites, but they can pay for habitats to be created on land elsewhere.

“If the land is used for BNG, then naturally the character of it will change over time as new habitats are created, but it will remain rural in nature and will continue to serve as a natural buffer between the built-up areas of Northfleet, Gravesend and Istead Rise.”

Habitats can include grassland, hedgerows, lakes, woodland and watercourses such as rivers and streams.