The former NatWest bank in Ramsgate High Street could be converted into six flats if planning permission is approved by Thanet council.
Architect Marc Turnier made the application to convert the bank. He previously developed a former nursery and garage in Southwood Road into five flats and a detached dwelling; converted a former rock sweet factory in Hibernia Street into eight flats and is part of the scheme to create 24 flats at Victoria House and Dundee House in Albion Place.
The proposed conversion of the NatWest, which shut last year, is for three 2-bed flats and three 1-bed flats with internal and external alterations.
In planning documents from Mr Turnier’s firm Arcvelop Architecture says: “The proposal intends to convert the existing structure into 6 residential units all of which will provide grand spaces emphasising the architectural qualities of the building.
“The proposed scheme will restore the current fronting façades to its former quality. The removal of cabling and anti-pigeon infrastructure coupled with the re-introduction of the “Westminster Bank Limited” sign along the mid-section of the building with some carefully considered signage will redefine the quality of the existing building and in the local area.”
Heritage items inside the building will be retained and repaired.
Planning documents say there is no outdoor space available but “residents would be within walking distance of areas of open space including the seafront and beach. There is also a park with play area less than ten minutes walk away at Boundary Park.
“Local amenities can be easily accessed via walking and cycling and there are bus and rail links in close proximity. The proposal would therefore be car free, with cycling encouraged via the provision of a secure cycle store at the ground floor.”
The Ramsgate Heritage Design Forum says it supports residential use but not the current plans and would like retail to be retained on the ground floor.
A decision on the application is yet to be made.
Documents can be viewed on the council’s planning portal, reference F/TH/24/1493
Ramsgate Heritage Design Forum have the right approach. Do what you like with the upper floors but keep the ground floor for retail or office use.
You can’t break up a parade of shops by converting a prime corner one into homes; especially in the High Street.
And who would want to live in a goldfish bowl at street level?
It’s a handsome building. Not everyone wants a garden; not everyone wants or needs a car. I hope this planning application is approved.
Yes, it’s a handsome building. And the ground floor would be ideal for a restaurant, pub or communal space. So why waste a community asset by making it off limits to everybody except the privileged private buyer?
Ian is right. Look in Thanet where shops have been converted into housing (Northdown Road opposite Aldi is a good example), pretty soon all their neighbours including pubs follow suit. By all means provide more housing above shops though.
How do you think this would encourage shoppers Mike/Rees/Whoever?
@Ian Shacklock – would a pub or restaurant not prove too noisy for the upstairs residents?
It’s not something I’d want, but a great many people all over the country live above shops and restaurants. Far better imo than living on the groundfloor of a High Street with no garden to separate the building from passers by.
Katmanndu, if the flats are marketed as luxury apartments then there probably won’t be any occupants; they might just be snapped up by overseas investors. If they are 5,000 miles away then they won’t worry about local noise.
And if noise is an issue then why live above a road junction?
Agreed. All for the flats above, but should maintain commercial downstairs.
The town plan really does however need to agree on a much smaller central business district and then give financial incentives to move out of non CBD and to reopen in the CBD
Thousands of people live in houses and ground-floor flats. Many of us have doors which open onto the pavement. People don’t usually look into other people’s front windows.
Mike Bassett, have you seen the size of the windows on the ground floor? The occupants will either cover the windows with blinds or they will become exhibits for passers-by to stare at. Far better to turn this ground floor into something commercial or communal.
I walk past this building several times a week. If the ground floor becomes an occupied flat or two, it will be up to the residents to decide what to do with their windows.
These buildings that are built saying cycle areas provided make you laugh. Flats built on corner of Belmont St said the same, yet here we are with mopeds and cars parked on double yellows and the pavements.
Are there any proper banks left in Thanet anymore ?
Very few.
And those that are left only contain ATMs, not cashiers.
I needed to pay a large sum of cash to an account. It took almost an hour to feed the notes into a machine. Many were rejected because of a slight tear, a fold or being generally worn. The assistant on duty REFUSED to take the notes because he was ”not allowed”.
Another ”bank” on another occasion I was paying a bill for a relative with a cheque and simply needed the the invoice stamped as paid. The single assistant on duty then had to go out the back to rubber stamp the invoice.
My bank in Ramsgate has machines and people.
Only the other day there was an article about rebuilding Ramsgates town . And now there’s a plan for yet another building being turned into flats. We’ll done TDC .more back handers .if only amazon would just go bust and people would get off there buts and go shopping like the good old days .thanet is beyond repair. And getting worse .give it a yr thanet will get 1st place for being run down and poor .
Before you jump to conclusions, it’s a “proposal” from a developer. A decision has not been made yet.
I wish people would stop accusing TLC of receiving “back-handers” and “brown envelopes”. If people can’t provide evidence, they shouldn’t be making such comments.
Well said.
Katmanndu- are there any Motown singers from Ammanford? Are you from Ammanford yourself?
People in the area I grew up in seldom said “boyo”.
Ian Shacklock- You have misinterpreted my 6.30 pm comment.
Please clarify: would you be happy to see this turned into accomodation or not? If so, what do you suggest they do about people like yourself walking past it several times a week? Curtains, blinds?
Mike Bassett, at 6:30pm you said “it will be up to the residents to decide what to do with their windows”. Well, if they are exhibitionists then they will be happy for window shoppers to peer into their homes. If not, then they will install blinds and change the character of the high street for the worse. This is a prime site for commercial premises and a daft location for a home.
Brilliant idea
No point living in the past and wishing things were different.
Rejuvenating the town centre is best achieved by converting good buildings into high quality accommodation.
👏👏👏👏👏👏
I remember 40 years ago when Garlinge High Street had well over 30 shops. Then, a few converted to housing, starting a precedent. Now, there are about 4 shops.
Interesting idea, Stephen Bounden. But how do you rejuvenate a town centre by turning it into a ghost town?
If people live there it isn’t a ghost town.
Mike Bassett, at 6:30pm you were advocating residents putting up blinds on the ground floor windows. In other words, they would be diminishing the vibrancy of the High Street. It would become a ghost town whether the occupants were alive or dead.
And the parking is where?
I would prefer it if it was a bank again! I recently had a dispute with NatWest, and it took 19 letters by post to sort out, and only then after I contacted Paul Thwaite the CEO! It was because NatWest had closed my current account, which I had had with them for decades, and which I never asked them to do, Duuurh! Had the NatWest branch in Ramsgate still been open we could have sorted this in minutes! In the end NatWest apologised unreservedly and paid compensation, but during the months it took to sort out, I suffered a great deal of anxiety, Duurh! In another bank I have for day to day use, it was hacked 3 times last year! But because it is still open, I was able to sit down with a member of staff, who reimbursed me, and got it sorted eventually! And don’t get me started on why didn’t I use the Internet, and the reason is Microsoft changed my email set up to “Outlook” without my consent, and which is rubbish, and untrustworthy!
Dumpton, if you have the time and energy, then why not ask the bank for an estimate of the banking charges for using Internet Banking? If they are honest, then they will explain that you need a relatively expensive mobile phone, because the older ones are not supported by the banking apps; and if you don’t have a phone then you won’t be able to use a home computer either because you often can’t log into your own account without a generated security code. I reckon the bank charges amount to a four figure sum per annum, simply to stay compliant with the technical spec!
Ian I had survived happily without a Mobile Phone into my 80’s, until Yahoo insisted I needed one, which cost me £45.00 and which I have never used once! I trust the Internet about as far as I can throw a London Transport bus! There are millions of people out there who think that just because they see something on a screen it must be real, and proceed to get ripped off! I am dismayed as to how gullible some people are, who believe what they see on the Internet, and also when a young lady from India phones them, give her their bank details, Duuurh.
Incidentally, the NatWest Special Complaints Advisor mentioned earlier, has been sent on a re-training course, to which I hope she will benefit, so she does not waste their customers time again. The compensation I received will be donated to charity!
Very good news an empty high street property will be no more, well done the developers.
Hopefully the apartments will have sound proofing for protection of noise from outside streets and rose tinted fenestration so apartment occupants it all looks lovely viewing the locale
It’s an interesting area.