A VICTORIAN building being transformed into Medway's newest shopping centre has been written off as a "crinkly shed".

The "shed" is the former dockyard boiler shop being restored as the £60 million Dockside Outlet Centre due to open in Chatham Maritime next month.

But the damaging report in the influential magazine Property Week confuses Chatham Maritime with Chatham's Historic Dockyard, and dismisses the dockyard in three words: "Disneyland it isn't".

The article has so angered the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) that a senior official has sent a letter of complaint and invited the journalist to pay another visit.

Christine Eade wrote the critical piece "Eade on Chatham Maritime" to go with a long upbeat feature about SEEDA, the Government agency that looks after the former dockyard development.

SEEDA hoped the feature would boost Chatham Maritime's prospects as a great place to live and work. But that goal came unstuck after Ms Eade confused Chatham Maritime the neighbouring historic dockyard.

After writing that the dockyard is no Disneyland, she goes on: "I first come to the stagnant pond with a notice saying that it was for the sole use of Medway Marine Model Society, provided that members used sails and not engines.

"No one takes up that privilege, possibly because a further notice warns of diseases that may be present in the water.

"Shouldn't SEEDA have poured in government money to turn a dry dock into a factory outlet - just as McArthurGlen converted the railway works at Swindon?

"Instead, we have a white caterpillar joined to a tent, joined to a crinkly shed with a colonial clock tower on top. Heritage and bargains should be integrated in today's battle for footfall. In this case, they don't even share the same car park."

SEEDA director Paul Hudson said it was a pity that the report of her visit was "actually to Chatham Historic Dockyard, our next-door neighbour."

He added: "I am not surprised she missed nearly everything in Chatham Maritime having been sidetracked by the attractions of Chatham Historic Dockyard.

"I would be delighted to show her the award-winning residential development on St Mary's Island, the universities at Medway campus, a new HQ for Kent Police, and a fast-growing marina."

Ms Eade was not available for comment.