An application to store thousands of tonnes of potentially explosive material at Chatham Docks looks set to be rejected – but the chemical will still be stored at the site.

Steel manufacturers Arcelor Mittal applied to Medway Council to store 2,500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate at the docks in March.

The application sparked a massive debate in the area as schools, residents, local councillors and MPs voiced their objections.

The Health and Safety Executive has advised Medway Council against granting permission to store the 2,500 tonnes requested in the application but the firm will still be able to store up to 1,000 tonnes of the material.

This amount does not require a special permit under hazardous substance regulations. Arcelor Mittal says the chemical is low grade and is taken from the docks directly to farms for use as fertiliser.

The company will still be accepting shipments of up to 2,500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. The majority of the material will be shipped on arrival but up to 1,000 tonnes can be stored there legally.

The company has stored ammonium nitrate at the docks since 2006 but the firm says it was not made aware it needed hazardous chemical consent until earlier this year, despite contacting a number of statutory bodies.

The council has been working with the Health and Safety Executive to determine the application.