A plan to build six flats above a popular bar and a pizza restaurant on Margate seafront has been refused by council planners.
The proposal, submitted by Montagu Town Planning Ltd on behalf of site owner Mr S Meech, involved creating third and fourth floor extensions above GB Pizza and the Glass Jar on Marine Drive, next to Sands Hotel.
The apartments, if built, would have had balconies overlooking the sea.
But on Thursday, planners at Thanet District Council turned down the proposal, although the reasons for the decision have not yet been released.
A similar plan was refused two years ago on the grounds the development was obtrusive and would be “severely harmful” to the significance of the Margate Conservation Area, in which the site is located.
Concerns were also raised about the potential impacts of noise and fumes from surrounding businesses on people living in the flats.
In a planning statement, Christopher Montagu, from Montagu Planning, said the new plan had been designed to deal with the previous issues.
“The proposal is of a high quality and contains elements which reinforce local distinctiveness, including appropriate local materials,” he said.
“The development has been sensitively designed, that will result in the effective use of an existing underused resource.”
I would be interested to know why this has been refused permission. Providing it is visually compatible I see no reason why not. The Imperial was extended some years ago, all be it to historical configuration. I thought Thanet needed more housing, even if they would be far from “affordable”!
Perhaps somebody in TDC has other ideas?
Probably the council was not offered a big enough backhander!!?
Ha Ha, The imperial owner was a freemasion , all to do with “god” of course
Do we really need any more flats? Just look up and around par example, northdown rd plus many other properties have existing forms of accomodation above shops, where they are not used for evan storage. Wake up Tdc along with my free parking proposasls, you could be hailed as very good councillors, if you followed my suggestions.
If the owners of the flats don’t want them to be lived in then unless TDC can afford to CPO them and refurbish them to the high standards required, they will just stay empty.
As for free parking, TDC would do better to lobby our local MPs for better public transport in the area.