Angela Rayner has rejected an application to reconsider approval of a planning application submitted by Peel Waters at Chatham Docks.

Sky News reports that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has sent a letter to Medway Council saying it will not act on a request for a call into the decision made by the authority’s planning committee.

In May, the council’s planning committee voted to approve the plans which would allow a business campus called Basin3 to be built on the Chatham Docks industrial estate.

The proposals, tabled in January, were controversial because they would involve the demolition of existing warehouses in favor of workspaces of varying sizes and the creation of a promenade and cycle route.

Businesses currently on the site say they would effectively be forced to leave, but Peel Waters says the new development would triple the number of jobs.

It also says the application being considered for that section of the Chatham Docks site was just a work use area that is still used for work use, it does not change for housing.

However, opponents of the Save Chatham Docks campaign say it is the first step in converting much of the dock into housing.

After the application was approved on 30 May, then Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst (Con) wrote to Michael Gove, who was Levelling, Housing and Communities Secretary, asking him to intervene.

She asked him to consider applying for Medway Council’s decision, and this meant an Article 31 direction was applied, stopping the plans from progressing while Mr Gove considered them.

A further delay was added when Rishi Sunak called an election and no decision could be made until after July 4.

After Labor’s victory, the verdict was left in the hands of Angela Rayner and the MHCLG.

Sky News reports that Rushanara Ali, parliamentary under-secretary, wrote on behalf of Rayner saying she did not wish to communicate the decision and “is happy that it will be determined by the local planning authority”.

Tolhurst called the decision “disappointing” and said he was surprised the application had not been submitted.

He also criticized Labour, in Medway and nationally, saying they were going against previous promises they had made.

She said: “I am very disappointed and local people and people working on the docks will continue to fight because there is no economic argument to allow it.

“I was very surprised that she made this decision because many people’s lives and jobs depend on Chatham Docks and I thought a decision like this needs more consideration.

“I think people will be very upset because this goes against the rhetoric we have had from the Labor Party about growing the economy and investing in Britain – a big part of Medway’s economy is the businesses in Chatham Docks.

“We don’t build infrastructure like this anymore, so it’s crazy that this is being done.”

Current Rochester and Strood MP Lauren Edwards (Lab), who defeated Tolhurst in the election, said she had supported the request to request a call-in and knew the decision would disappoint residents.

She said: “I supported the decision to ask the Secretary of State to review the outline planning approval for Basin3 and made representations to ensure all relevant factors were considered.

“I know some residents and workers will be disappointed that the Secretary of State has decided today not to cite the decision made by Medway Council’s planning committee.

“Since becoming a local MP, I have met with Arcelor Mittal and the Save Chatham Docks group and will continue to work with them to find a long-term solution for their business that preserves as many highly skilled local jobs as possible.

“I will also be meeting with Peel Waters, the company behind Basin3, to ensure the site is a success and meets the employment and growth potential outlined in the planning application.”

Peel Waters said the decision was great news but it would wait to provide a full statement until Medway Council had formally confirmed the planning decision, which is expected to happen early next week.

Ms Rayner’s decision not to apply for approval means the Article 31 directive has been lifted and Medway Council can continue with the process of approving the application which councilors voted for in May.

Cllr Simon Curry, Medway Council’s portfolio holder for Climate Change and Strategic Regeneration, said: “The decision to approve the planning application to redevelop the land at Chatham Docks Industrial Estate South Side was made by the Planning Committee on the 30th. of May.

“The application had already been delayed for further legal advice, leaving the committee outside the deadline to make a decision.

“During this time, several stakeholders requested that the government ‘convene’ this application.

“While the Government considered whether to examine this or not, no action could be taken, despite the committee recommending that the application be approved.

“With today’s Government decision not to submit the application, we are confident that the steps taken by Medway Council’s Planning Department and the Quasi-Judicial Planning Committee to determine whether this planning application complied with the law or “They weren’t the right ones.”