A decision to sell a plot of land off Tivoli Road in Margate, which contains the derelict former Tivoli Day Service building, has been approved by Thanet council Cabinet members.
The building, within a surrounding site of around 1.66 acres, was surrendered to Thanet council by Kent County Council in October 2018 but had been unused for several years prior.
Thanet council has approved a decision to sell the site on the open market, via auction, and will include an overage which means any future residential use by the new owner would mean Thanet council is entitled to additional payment and shares of the profit.
A report to councillors outlined the issues of keeping the property, including numerous breaches of the hoarding installed to keep people out and reports of anti-social behaviour.
The property was also constructed using asbestos-based material.
TDC says there are a number of cost burdens with the Tivoli Road site including:
- Security costs £8,472
- Annual standing charge for utilities supply £530
- Cumulative insurance costs £1,000+
- Council waste team have incurred unquantifiable costs to clear fly tipping on site
During a Cabinet meeting last night (September 25) Cllr Reece Pugh raised the issue of the plot being put forward in a recent council call for brownfield sites that could be developed and queried whether TDC would consider using it to build homes.
He said: “Whilst I welcome the council’s methods to dispose of assets that it no longer feels is a benefit to hold anymore and feels that they could be better in community or private hands, and I understand there are budget restraints and there is a need for us as a council year on year to fill a quota or meet a certain threshold in value for asset disposals, I am concerned that the Tivoli Road site is being put forward at this time for disposal namely because the site has been put forward as a potential brownfield site in the recent call for sites.”
He said he understood an assessment of the suitability of sites was being carried out and felt the site could possibly be developed for housing.
He said: “It’s a great town centre location… I think it’s a site the council should be progressing and try to develop, particularly for affordable housing for our own housing stock…
“There are a lot of families on the temporary housing waiting list, being housed outside the district. The Tivoli Road site is close to schools, it’s close to services, it’s close to the council offices for support. I think it would work very well.
“What I am asking Cabinet tonight is to consider to forgo or delay agreeing to this disposal subject to the outcome of the assessment that’s being carried out on this as a suitable site for call for sites. If it is deemed that it is not something the council can do on its own then it can proceed with the disposal, but I just think it’s a real shame that we’re not taking advantage of that ourselves to develop it for our own residents.”
In response Cllr Rick Everitt said a report on the call for sites will be brought forward. He added: “We would love to put affordable housing on that site but the planning advice that we’ve got is that we would not get consent. Now, that might change in the future and I take the point of what you are saying but we are not able to do that at the moment.”
“The site is designated as employment land and we do need to protect employment land in the district.”
The employment classification limits the site’s redevelopment potential and the approved recommendation was to sell the freehold for the site with an employment use covenant retained.
Thanet council needs to make £1.25m from asset disposals each financial year to be used for capital investment.
Cllr Ruth Duckworth said: “Generating capital receipts from asset disposals is a crucial component of the council’s financial and budgetary planning. If TDC is unable to receipt £1.25m from asset disposals each financial year, key operational building and statutory service delivery functions will be impacted due to there being a lack of capital investment available.”
She added money from asset disposal is used for repairs, maintenance and improvements to properties retained by the council.
Cllr Cedric Towning said it was vital the council raises the £1.25m annually to retain and protect assets.
He then asked: “How much income or revenue have we so far received this year from the disposal of assets in order. to contribute to the £1.25m?”
Thanet council’s head of property replied: “We have not delivered any disposals so far so this is specifically why these two assets (Tivoli Road and also Pierremont Park depot- which will not go for open market disposal) have been chosen, because they have the capacity to deliver the capital receipts that we need within this financial year because to date we haven’t delivered any disposals so its zero pounds out of £1.25m so far.”
In June Thanet council launched a new call for brownfield sites that may help meet the district’s housing needs .
The council invited landowners, developers, and residents to submit details of suitable brownfield land that could accommodate five or more dwellings. It was hoped the call would identify additional suitable sites that TDC was not aware of.
