FURTHER public consultation is to be carried out on a £150m project which includes a controversial 32-storey tower.

On October 14, Gravesham Council announced further public consultation will take place about plans to regenerate the Heritage Quarter in Gravesend.

The announcement came after responses from statutory consultees — which include the Highways Agency, English Heritage and the Environment Agency — meant there may be changes to the scheme.

Gravesham Council leader Councillor Michael Snelling said: “My personal assumption is the changes are likely to be to the tower which is proposed to be on St Andrew’s Gardens.”

The public consultation is likely to include further exhibitions.

Developer Edinburgh House submitted a planning application for the project at the end of July.

The proposals currently consist of areas for offices, shops and leisure facilities and the developer says it will also create around 1,000 jobs.

A decision was due to be made by the council’s regulatory board in November, but this was put back to December and the latest news means it may change again.

A council spokesman said: “Although this will delay the announced timetable for the planning process, the council believes it is vital the public consultation phase is fully informed and includes all the possible options for parts of the regeneration scheme.”

The plans for the project were first announced in last November, and the proposed 32-storey tower has proved to be controversial.

Martin McKay is vice chairman of Urban Gravesham, which was set up to campaign against the project.

He said: “We welcome the further public consultation. However, we are confused because the planning application has not been withdrawn.

“We want clarification.”

A spokesman for Edinburgh House said: “We remain actively committed to the consultation process and will respond accordingly to any valid feedback received.”

Subject to planning approval, work is expected to start early next year and the whole scheme should be complete by 2013.