Mystery surrounds the sale of random plots of land in residential areas sparking fears among residents of loss of privacy and depreciation of the value of their homes.

The sites, some within feet of people’s properties in the Rainham, Gillingham and Chatham areas, have been sold off at auction to a mystery buyer without any consultation.

They vary in size from less than an acre to more than seven acres and none appear to have planning permission to build on.

They all well-exceeded their guide price of £1,000 each - one fetching £20,000 - when they went under the hammer at The Auction House sale in London last month.

Most homeowners assumed the land was owned by Medway Council as for decades its contractors have regularly carried out maintenance work.

But further investigations have revealed they belonged to real estate company Deadwood Enterprises which is based at Cuxton, near Rochester.

While the council is not the landowner, it is listening to the residents and is making moves to save the green spaces on their doorstep.

Emergency tree preservation orders have been slapped on Grassy Glade and Kenilworth Gardens to hinder any potential development.

Some are designated highway land and therefore, irrespective of ownership, nothing can happen to the plot.

Naushabah Khan, Gillingham and Rainham MP and Medway’s chief planning officer, Dave Harris have visited Kenilworth Gardens in Rainham, one of the neighbourhoods impacted

Described as communal gardens and spanning 5.5 acres, more than 700 have signed a petition to stop the bulldozers from moving in.

It was bought at auction for £10,000 on July 31 - one of eight similar lots across the Towns up for grabs.

Miss Khan said: “Our hands are tied because the council does not own it.

“But we are listening to residents and understand their concerns.

“The council is aware of the situation and is looking into it.

“We are trying to track down the new owner and what their intentions are. All we know is that he is called ‘Mr P’.”

A mum, Charlotte Williamson, who set up the petition, first discovered the sell-off on social media.

She wrote: ““Kenilworth Gardens is of the utmost importance for physical and mental wellbeing as well as being a significant home for local wildlife.

“Our local green spaces must be protected.”

Gran Julia Harley, who moved to the quiet cul-de-sac five years ago, said she would be “devastated” if it were developed.

The 61-year-old said: “I came here to downsize and the lovely outlook from my home is very important to me and my mental well-being.

“There are bats there and an owl I can hear at night. What if the new owner builds on it? I could be facing a brick wall, and I would be losing my privacy.”

Her friend Lynne Quested, who lives opposite with husband Godfrey, has equally strong feelings.

The 75-year-old pensioner who moved in 40 years ago, said: “We need to find out what ’Mr P’ wants to do with it.

“There are 14 trees on the green. We all feel the same. We just want it left alone.”

Less than a mile away in Mierscourt Road, neighbours have also joined forces to voice their concerns where a large grass verge, less than an acre in size fronting their homes sold for £1,500.

Richard Travers, a retired health and safety construction consultant, said when the sale was brought to his attention on an estate agent’s website he was “astonished”.

The 69-year-old father-of-two said: “The whole thing seems to be shrouded in secrecy.

“As soon as I found out I went to the council offices at Gun Wharf, but it was closed because of RAAC.

“When I eventually got through to somebody they said they did not own it.

“We moved here in 1986 and we assumed they did because they come up and cut the grass.

“If they build here we would lose our privacy and it would also affect our parking on the road outside.”

His wife Elaine, 71, who works in a charity shop, added: “I'm not sure what anyone would do with a plot that size.

“If they do build on it, it would blight our property. It’s a no-win situation.”

A few doors away, mum Lisa Davis 43, said: “It would be a shame. It’s nice for the children to play out and was particularly useful during the lockdown.”

A Medway Council spokesman confirmed that none of the land that went up for sale at auction was owned by the authority and that no planning applications have been received.

Plots, not designated as highways, have been assessed for any important trees and emergency TPOs have been issued.

A TPO doesn't prevent planning permission from being granted, but the council will consider the risk to protected trees when making decisions.

If planning permission is granted, any felling that's required to enable the development can be carried out.

In this case, the planning permission overrides the TPO because the planning authority considered the TPO when granting the permission.

Other lots that went under the hammer, according to Auction Houses’ catalogue, include plots at Princes Avenue/Prince Charles Avenue, Chatham which went for £20,000; Princes Avenue, Chatham, £10,000 and Lordswood Lane, sold for £4,500.