Businesses may close and residents of seven council flats are to be rehoused after a "potentially dangerous" hole opened up in a road in Northfleet. 

The hole, to one side of Lawrance Square shops in Coldharbour, caused the sewer to fracture.

Initially residents of the seven occupied flats were offered temporary accommodation as their water supplies were unfit for drinking, but they chose to remain and were supplied with drinking water.

However an independent surveyor then found block to be potentially dangerous and advised the council take steps to evacuate the homes. 

Gas supplies were turned off due to the risk of further damage.

All the tenants have been offered temporary accommodation and will be re-housed while works are carried out. 

It is not known how long the work will take until further investigations are completed. 

The shops have been advised to close. 

Cabinet member for housing, Coun Sue Howes said: "We have made every effort to help residents. 

"We understand that some did not want to move but given the advice of the experts we cannot allow people to remain in homes that are at risk from potential subsidence and that are now without basic services."

This comes after a 10-metre dene hole opened up in a family's garden in Milton Hall Road, Gravesend, last month.