Members of the group opposed to an airport at Cliffe met on Sunday to discuss plans for a park which would stretch from Sheppey to Dartford.

More than 70 people attended the meeting including the MP for Gillingham, Paul Clark, and Medway MP Bob Marshall.

Local authorities are being asked to consider the scheme which would mean development would only be allowed if it was in keeping with the surroundings and was of benefit to people living nearby.

My philosophy is to aim high and we might actually get more than we thought we would Joan Goddard, No Airport at Cliffe action group

A proposal has been put forward to build an airport with up to four runways near to Cliffe marshes to help cope with rising air traffic.

The action group hope members of local and national government will take the park plans forward to protect the environment.

Speaking on BBC Radio Kent, chairman of the No Airport at Cliffe action group Joan Goddard said the first time the idea was mooted was in the 1970s.

"What we have to do is wait and see what happens and cajole people to carry out their word.

"My philosophy is to aim high and we might actually get more than we thought we would.

"We have an awful lot of wonderful assets here that we are not capitalising on properly.

"We need to encourage tourism, we need to encourage pride in where we live and we need to encourage the safe keeping of our wildlife and our green spaces."