Two sites withdrawn from council ‘sell-off’ list but nine agreed and two approved for community transfer

Volunteers revamped the West Cliff lift but now the council is selling it Photo Brian Whitehead

Land between Montefiore Lodge and The Old Stable Block, King George VI Park, Ramsgate, and the former Walpole Bay lift have been removed from a list of properties that Thanet council plans to sell.

The King George VI Park plot was withdrawn after it was revealed Thanet council does not own the site. The plot belongs to Phil and Janice Dadds, who run the Italianate Greenhouse in the park, after they bought the freehold last year.

The Walpole Bay lift has been removed after representations were made to Cllr Rob Yates, portfolio holder for estates, by community groups. The site may now be considered for transfer as a community asset.

Cllr Yates also raised the sale of Ramsgate’s Marina Road car park, saying priority will be for leisure use development which would also bring in an income. He said there had been discussions between cabinet members and Ramsgate Town Council over future uses of the site.

Cllr Peter Campbell urged cabinet members to explore a leisure use plan put forward by town councillor David Green based on proposals for a Beach Club first mooted in 2014 but then dropped.

Nine sites have been agreed for sale including the Western Undercliff lift – which was revamped by volunteers in 2017- car parks at Marina Road in Ramsgate and Harold Road in Margate and Foreness Bay Cafe. Newington Community Centre and Broadstairs bowls club have been agreed to move forward for transfer to community bodies.

Going up for sale

  • Westbrook Loggia, Margate
  • Marina Rd Car Park, Ramsgate
  • Italianate Greenhouse, King George VI Park, Ramsgate
  • Rifle Club, King George VI Park, Ramsgate
  • Foreness Bay Cafe, Margate
  • Harold Road Car Park, Margate
  • Sackett’s Gap Garage, Margate (garage destroyed in high winds but land will still be sold)
  • Ethelbert Putting Green, Margate
  • Western Undercliff Former Lift, Ramsgate

Community transfer

  • Newington Community Centre, Ramsgate
  • Broadstairs and St Peters Bowls Club, Broadstairs

In a statement the council says the sites have been fully appraised and are considered suitable for either selling on the open market or transferring as a community asset.

Thanet District Council owns around 560 assets in the form of land and buildings throughout the district.

The statement adds: “Disposing of underused assets helps to reduce the amount of council-owned property in the district and protects assets that would otherwise fall into disrepair. In disposing of unwanted assets the council is following the practice of other local authorities.

“The sale of unwanted council-owned property is part of the council’s asset management strategy to reduce costs, generate additional income and meet energy efficiency targets. This in turn can be used to fund improvements to other assets across the district through the council’s capital programme. This approach is built into the council’s medium term financial strategy.”

5 Comments

  1. A problem is that money raised from asset selling doesn’t get used on maintaining other assets badly in need like we are told by TDC. Once it’s gone it is gone, but hopefully these properties and the like will be better looked after in private hands. Hopefully no more wasting away with neglect in TDC hands. We will have to hope that way now, lets see.

  2. Unfortunately, our area is full of empty and neglected properties, all owned privately. Selling off these properties will “save” the Council money,and I don’t blame them for doing so. The Council is painfully aware that central government remains determined to run down the finances of local authorities so they are not capable of taking any initiative that central government doesn’t agree with.

    But let’s not assume that the buildings and land that get sold off will be any better maintained. There’s loads of money in the country but it’s mostly in the wrong hands.

    How about a banana taped to a wall instead? Or a collection of little glittery rocks kept in a west London safe,all worth millions. That is what the rich and powerful spend our money on these days.
    Meanwhile ,our democratically elected local councils can’t afford to maintain a wall, let alone tape a banana to it.

  3. How do I get full details on the Foreness Bay Cafe. I also notice you are giving the boat club first refusal, fair play. However this also means you must have an asking price in mind, could you please let me have information on the asking price.

    Kind Regards

    Barry Sinclair

  4. The council is presuming to dispose of parcels of land in King George VI Park. My understanding is that the park may be part of the endowed Montefiore estate and may be subject to restraining covenants. Can anybody with relevant local knowledge comment on this?

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