An application to build 41 flats and four houses in Cliftonville will mean demolishing existing businesses and the flat of a family who have lived in the premises for almost 16 years.
Applicant Neil Shepherd has lodged documents with the council asking for permission to knock down St George’s car garage and dealership, which is housed in a mock Tudor building with a residential flat above, and workshops running from 2-12 Harold Road and encompassing past of Norfolk Road.
The planned apartments are a mix of one, two and three-bed while the houses will be four-bed. The new building block will be part four and part five storey for the flats and three-storey for the houses.
Planning documents state: “The removal of the existing commercial garages will provide a use which is more in-keeping with the surrounding redevelopment, improving the amenity of neighbouring residents in terms of potential noise and the overall outlook.”
The site falls into two conservation zones, Norfolk Road and the Clifftop Conservation area. Part of the land was previously terraced homes.
The application says: “We propose that it is appropriate to return this site to its former residential use and believe that this would have a positive and uplifting influence on the area.”
However, concerned Harold Road and Norfolk Road residents say the plans have too much ‘density’ and the number of flats and houses is too great for the plot.
A spokesperson for the group said: “It is a huge development. We all get that people need houses but as well as being too dense this development looks to be low quality. We feel Cliftonville deserves better than this.
“We love the richness and diversity of Cliftonville, that is why we live here, and we realise houses need to be built but this is not a good design.
“The Local Plan talks about raising aspirations in Cliftonville and not having one-bed flats so we are not sure this fits with that.
“There should be quality of life for people. This is also a mock Tudor building, not everyone will like that design but it is a 100 year old building.
“There are also the businesses and the flat which has a family who have lived there for 16 years. We could be looking at a loss of 20 jobs from the businesses, with one being there for 11 years.
“The businesses only found out about the plans when they got a letter through the door. As well as that there is a 40 year old Holk Oak on the site and there is a little wildlife bit with bats and dragonflies. It may seem small but all that will go as well as the enjoyment we have of it as residents.
“In these uncertain times the eviction of these businesses is really hard on them- it will make it more difficult to get a bank loan/ a bounce back loan or even now join government apprenticeships schemes that might even employ more local staff.
“With Walpole Bay closing for the winter, due to the knock on effect of Dreamland not opening and people not using the local hotels and Tom Thumb not being able to open due to the restrictions on live performance, this is not a great lift in confidence for Cliftonville, an already deprived area.”
The flat above the garage has been home to Lawrie Munt, her husband and son and daughter for almost 16 years. She said: “We only found out when the yellow placard went on the telegraph pole. It was only a chance meeting with a resident that led to us finding out about the plans, which we have now objected to.
“If it comes to it we are going to have to leave our home and find somewhere else which isn’t going to be easy.
“The plan is for a lot of homes, which will mean pressure on schools, the hospital, and doctors when there are already empty properties near here.”
The planning documents state there will be provision for 45 car parking spaces, plus cycle spaces and new landscaping and tree planting.
The plans are yet to be approved. Find details on Thanet council’s planning page reference F/TH/20/0802
Absolutely wrong for the area.
This is just too much for the area. I do not know that there were houses there before if the building has been there 100 years. Cliftonville was being built up just 150 years ago anyway there was just fields along here before that so the current building and businesses have been here the majority of time and should not be forced out.
There are supposed to be no new one bedroom flats being made available in Cliftonville West as in the council regulations. TDC want family accommodation with houses made available, not more flats. This would just put even more strain on the local area. These roads are over populated as it is where these houses were designed for the holiday trade with quick turnover not permanent stays.
I would suggest people object on the planning portal or write to TDC Planning.
On the land to the left as you look at it was the Haven Hotel which my parents owned from 1966 until 1978.
It was a hotel long before that
Objected
Good luck with the opposition to the planning application. Thanet Council declined permission for a similar development on the site of the fire damaged Holly Tree public house following many letters of objection on grounds such as it being an out of character high density development containing too many one bedroom flats. The developer took his appeal to the Secretary of State and won. So the building work has started and nearby residents are looking forward to the erection of an out of place eye-sore; insufficient parking spaces and added pressure on local schools and GP surgeries. Developers’ profit maximisation wins out yet again.
Perhaps the new build will catch fire, like “The Old Charles” did…
Or you could compare it to the conversion of the british legion where the coucil and local councillors have completely ignored and failed to liase with local residents , choosing instead to pass a retrospective application fro works started with no planning or listed building consent , but which tdc had full knowledge of having planned and approved the design beforehand.
No due process whatsoever. And that application had over 50 objections
35 YEARS AGO ISAW THE FUTURE FOR THANET PLANS.
DIDNT SEE ANY PLANS FOOR 100s OF ONE BEDROOM FLATS
THE COUNCILLORS MUST HAVE HID THEM UNDER THETABLE
Or you could compare it to the conversion of the british legion where the coucil and local councillors have completely ignored and failed to liase with local residents , choosing instead to pass a retrospective application fro works started with no planning or listed building consent , but which tdc had full knowledge of having planned and approved the design beforehand.
No due process whatsoever. And that application had over 50 objections
Not sure what happened there same reply posted twice. However in response to EDIFI, a developer is going to build what the local area has demand for and as TDC will show in its social housing statements there is a shortage of 1 and 2 bed flats , as a result of the increase in single occupant households , there is similar demand in the owner occupier and private rented sector.
The way cliftonville has developed over the years is a mess but its been in response to the demands placed on it.
I agree that there are parts of Cliftonville in desperate need of redevelopment but more thought needs to be given to what we want the future of Cliftonville to be.
This area has already undergone a transformation in recent years with hotels, guest houses and even Wanstead House and Honiton House schools being turned into hundreds of low cost, low quality flats.
If Cliftonville is ever going to get back to anything like it’s former glory, it is going to need something much better than this.