An application to demolish The Townley ‘club’ building in Ramsgate High Street and replace it with a 4 storey block containing six 2-bed flats and four -1bed flats has been approved by Thanet council.
The Townley was a small private venue which prior to the pandemic had been available for hire for a range of functions or activities such as wedding receptions, wakes, birthday parties and other gatherings.
But documents lodged on behalf of the owner say the business is no longer sustainable and there are a large number of alternative community venues in the area.
The documents, which were submitted last year, state: “Whilst it is accepted everyday life is now opening up, the Townley has become a victim of our time and is now unsustainable.
“Over the past years, despite our client’s working tirelessly to market and operate the venue as a profit-making business, the fact is it has only been able to break even. The reality now is that Covid has changed everything.
“There are numerous other facilities all looking to attract the same business in a market place where demand has fallen. The property does not have the back up of a core business such as a pub or membership club, thus its income stream is generated only by it being hired out. The Townley is clearly not viable.”
A report by The One Architecture adds: “Redevelopment of the site not only brings social and economic benefits but in this instance will act as a catalyst for the regeneration and improvement of the local area.”
The one storey venue, which is in the Ramsgate Conservation Area, will be replaced by a four-storey, red brick build. The number of flats contained has been reduced from the original plan for 12 after concerns were raised.
Thanet council’s conservation officer said: “The design of the proposed building is largely in keeping with the aesthetic appearance and architectural language of the area as well as matching the existing adjacent property.
“Materials proposed for the scheme are that expected within the historic environment including timber, brickwork and slate and also match the surrounding environment.”
Thanet council has now approved the plans. An agreement for developer contributions includes:
- £164.20 at the Broadstairs Adult Education centre
- £655 towards towards additional resources for the Thanet Youth Service
- £554.50 for additional book stock and resources at Ramsgate Library
- £1468.80 towards specialist care accommodation, assistive technology systems and equipment to adapt homes, adapting Community facilities, sensory facilities, and Changing Places within the local area.
- £554.70 is also requested towards improvements at Margate Waste Recycling Centre £2728 SAMM contribution
Contributions towards the proposed Park Crescent secondary school on the former Royal School for Deaf Children plot are also cited but plans for this school have now been scrapped.
once they start the demolition , why dont they keep going and flatten all the old boarded up shops and hovels that make up the town of ramsgate
Could not agree more.
Why should a developer of a Ramsgate property have to pay money out to Margate to build a building in Ramsgate.??
very good point
£164.20 at the Broadstairs Education Centre?? First thought was that Kathy must have missed off a few noughts … I bet that 20p will make quite a difference. Developer’s generosity is truly extraordinary.
Hopefully the next door boarded up site will attract interest, 139 high st was demolished 6 years ago with planning permission for a block of 11 flats but not built and left the streetscene scarred.
The townley has had its day, others will follow
Hope there are some allocated parking spaces included in the plans.
No car parking places, no need for car parking spaces on many high street developments.
Bicycle parking yes for 12
No space for delivery trucks either Jimbo?
Sad to see the old Labour Club go.
Development of the Townley site and the old Eric Bond Site next door are both development by trespass. The Officials approving these applications aren’t even in the county, it’s farmed out allegedly. For sure they never visit the sites which should be mandatory … Parking is chronic in Ramsgate where selfish, lazy people created dangerous situations and it’s not Policed. The two sites can potentially generate another 40 cars with no parking.if Thanet Councils weren’t impotent and their civil servants weren’t such third rate journeymen the residents would have residential permits 10 years ago. Should be a blanket ban on development in Thanet without parking. The car is not dead. Now we have let them ban protesting, residents are disregarded. So vote next time and show them our power!
When you consider the huge blight they cause, then it’s high time the car was dead, or at the very least in terminal decline.
What should be uppermost in planners’ minds is not “how many cars can we accommodate “, but “how many people can we provide for”.
I’ve no idea if our civil servants are impotent or not, but they’ve read and understood the Government’s planning policy frameworks.