Revised flats and shops scheme for Belgrave Road approved subject to conditions

Amended design for the Belgrave Road building Image Lee Evans Partnership

A scheme to turn 1 Belgrave Rd, Margate -occupied by Dreamland Beds and Lobster Van hire – into shops and parking at ground floor and 10 apartments will go ahead subject to agreement on developer contributions.

Members of Thanet council’s planning committee backed the scheme at a meeting last night (March 15) despite officer recommendations to reject it.

A revised proposal was submitted after concerns were raised at a meeting last month about design elements, including the bright orange cladding and ‘The fun starts here’ sign on the roof.

Original design Image Lee Evans Partnership

The colours have now been muted, the elevation at the rear of the building, which councillors had branded as ‘barking mad’ has also been revised, there are altered balcony arrangements and the roof signage has been ditched.

Lee Evans Partnership LLP was commissioned by site owner  Belgrave Road Margate Ltd to submit the application for the “unashamedly modern” development

The prominent building dates from the 1920s and has been used as a commercial building for its entire lifespan. It is currently divided into two for use by Dreamland Beds and Lobster Van Hire.

The development will be a mixed used scheme of three commercial units and parking at ground floor and 10 apartments over three floors, including 2 penthouses.

Current building

Planning officers were recommending the plans be refused, saying: “The amended plans and muted colour scheme make no alterations to the height or scale of the building, and are considered to result in an extension that is neither a bold and unique form of architecture nor a seamless addition to the existing building.

“Consequently the amended plan is still considered to result in an incongruous, dominant and overbearing form of development.”

Amended rear view Image Lee Evans Partnership

However, councillors did not agree. Cllr Reece Pugh said he still believed the original design had been “incredibly bold” and there was a need to “think outside of the box.”

He said development of brownfield sites, particularly in town centres, should be encouraged.

The scheme was also backed by Labour’s Steve Albon saying it would provide new homes and shops.

Members agreed to defer the approval to officers on the basis of economic and housing benefits outweighing ‘limited impact’ on a conservation area.

Required developer contributions are:

Secondary education contribution £12940 towards a new Thanet Secondary School or additional places and the secondary land contribution £3777.80 towards the new Thanet Secondary School land acquisition cost.

The community learning contribution of £164.20 at the Margate Adult Education centre, £655 towards additional resources for the Thanet Youth Service,

£554.50 for additional book stock and resources at Margate Library

Social care contributions would be £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.

A contribution of £554.70 is also requested towards improvements at Margate Waste Recycling Centre.

8 Comments

  1. It’s a start now knock down the whole of the road and then start on other run down areas, the whole of Margate needs a complete makeover, and a good scrub and wash down , and while they’re at it move the council building and court to Broadstairs and take the great unwashed with them

  2. Its not going to win any architecture awards, but its better looking than a lot of the buildings in Margate where the freeholders have let the outside look like they are rotting away. No powers to enforce this of course.

  3. “Money talks, mmm, mmm, money talks
    Dirty cash I want you, dirty cash I need you, ooh
    Money talks, money talks
    Dirty cash I want you, dirty cash I need you, ooh
    I want you, money
    I’m dirty cash, the one that you asked for
    I’m wanted by the rich and the poor
    More and more, you just can’t reject it”

    Another case of rich developers making money and no doubt all the apartments will end up being rentals.

  4. It is the developers contribution to school no matter if it be by building a new school or acquisition of land for the building of the school.
    KCC already had the land (Royal School for deaf) yet decided that a school was not needed. Now within 6 months they appear to have changed their minds and a school is needed:
    “Secondary education contribution £12940 towards a new Thanet Secondary School or additional places and the secondary land contribution £3777.80 towards the new Thanet Secondary School land acquisition cost.”
    The former Deaf School Site is large enough for Infants, Junior and Senior school up to “A” level age group.

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