Thirty-six garages in Millmead are to be demolished with council housing planned for the site.
Thanet council says the garages in Tomlin Drive are “ underused” and “currently vacant,” but regular vandalism, arson and fly-tipping has resulted in costs to the authority.
A ‘demolition document by the council says: “The current structures are in very poor condition and have been subjected to neglect and a substantial number of acts of vandalism over a sustained period of time.
“The current garages comprise the original single storey structures with asbestos containing materials (corrugated cement roofs).”
Thanet council wants to use the site for its affordable housing programme, saying: “The sites have been identified as part of TDCs Affordable Homes Programme Phase Four: a number of TDC owned underused garage sites have been identified for the purposes of redevelopment to provide additional affordable housing for households on TDC’s Housing Register.
“The new build units will be retained within TDCs housing stock and let out to households at an affordable rent.”
In 2020 the council approved capital funding of £8.822m for phase 4 of its affordable housing development programme.
A total of 70% of funding is from the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan, with the balance of 30% funding from retained right-to-buy receipts. The programme is for around 36 new homes for affordable rent for households on the council’s Housing Register. #
Since 2015 this programme will have provided 191 new, affordable homes, inclusive of the latest phase. Phase 3 provided new build homes in King Street and Sussex Street, Ramsgate.
The final part of the phase 4 programme is due for completion by March 2023.
Cllr Jill Bayford, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “The garages on Tomlin Drive in Margate are derelict and beyond repair.
“It is proposed that the site will be used to build additional social housing with improvements to the existing landscape. We will be engaging with residents about the future use of the area.”
