Gravesham council has won a High Court battle for an injunction preventing a hostel opening in Gravesend.

Action was taken by the local authority out of worries HFHA Group would open Cygnet House in Windmill Street as a hostel after securing consent for a hotel.

But HFHA Group did not defend the injunction bid and has given the court an undertaking not to allow anyone to use the building for accommodation.

The undertaking is only until June 11, but the council says it expects the matter to be determined during a High Court trial on June 2.

HFHA was ordered to pay the council's court costs for the initial hearing on Thursday.

The developer was given planning permission to turn empty offices inside the six-storey building into a hotel with 60 en-suite bedrooms.

The Messenger revealed the development was being advertised online as the Journeys Gravesend Hostel with accommodation starting from a mere £9 per night. It is due to open in May.

Last month about 60 residents from neighbouring roads gathered outside the building to voice their concerns.

Journeys area group manager Dan Dennis attended the protest to answer questions and told campaigners Journeys Gravesend would be a budget hotel and not a hostel.

He also attempted to reassure them that the development would not become a "doss house for waifs and strays", which many residents living in Sheppy Place, Zion Place and Victoria Avenue have been calling it.

Speaking after the protest, Mr Dennis said: "A major concern is that the hotel will invite asylum seekers, drug addicts and alcoholics, but we have established leisure and corporate contracts with reputable companies which will be using it.

"We also have a secure booking system which requires passport checks for foreign nationals and all must fill in a registration card."

Mr Dennis also revealed the promotion of the hotel as the Journeys' Gravesend Hostel on the company's website was a mistake which has now been amended.

HFHA Group is preparing to resubmit a planning application with amended internal use.