THE future of Abbey Farm is likely to be Faversham's big issue in the May borough council elections.

Chairman of the Save Abbey Farm Group, Ernie Warner, is already urging people to lobby candidates on the plan to build 180 homes, a business park and country park on the 275 acre site.

Developers Abbey Park Holdings say their £80 million development would bring between 2,000 and 2,500 jobs to the area and they are confident their latest planning application will succeed.

But protestors, who successfully fought an earlier application at a planning inquiry last year, are gearing themselves up to do battle again.

After a year's rest, the Save Abbey Farm Group reconvened on Monday to discuss the development.

Mr Warner said: "The messages which came out from the meeting are that the people of Faversham are just as opposed as they ever were to building on Abbey Farm."

Mr Warner said with the local elections just two months away Abbey Farm will be a real hot issue.

He said: "We ask the people of Faversham to lobby any and all candidates, to impress upon them the importance of Abbey Farm to Faversham."

Conservative leader on Swale council, Cllr Andrew Bowles, agreed: "The future of Kent and Canterbury will be an important issue in these elections, but the big town issue is Abbey Farm.

"My view has not changed we don't need a massive increase in house-building in Faversham."