Firefighters tackled a blaze at a former children’s nursery site which is now earmarked for a huge HMO.
Crews were called to the former Urchins Kindergarten in Marlborough Road, Gillingham at around 3pm to reports of fire at a derelict building.
Two fire engines attended, and crews used a hose reel jet to extinguish the flames.
The stop time was recorded at 3.18pm. No injuries were reported and the cause is not yet known.
The plot, on the corner of Marlborough Road and Brompton Road and next to the Great Lines Heritage Park, has fallen into disrepair after years of neglect.
It was once home to Urchins Kindergarten and later used as a community centre, but the buildings have stood empty for more than a decade.
The plot has suffered from fire damage in the past, with crews called in 2009 and again in 2018 after blazes believed to have been started deliberately.
A developer is now seeking permission to build a house in multiple occupation (HMO) at the site.
An application has been submitted for the demolition of the existing structures and the construction of two single-storey chalet-style blocks, creating 22 units and 30 bedrooms in total.
The scheme, listed as an HMO under the sui generis planning category, also includes shared living space, kitchens, groundworks and landscaping.
