The Pettman Depository building and land in Cliftonville will be converted into flats and three houses.
A planning application to convert the main building into 18 two-bed flats, demolish the warehouse and garage and create a block of 11 flats and build three houses has been approved by Thanet council.
Documents note that the site, which sits in Athelstan Road and Dalby Road, is unusual as it is within three different conservation areas; the Ethelbert Road and Athelstan Road Conservation Area, Dalby Square Conservation Area, and Northdown Road Conservation Area.
The F.L. Pettman business was established in 1882 with the Depository building built on the site on Athelstan Road in 1901; it infilled part of a large garden between Athelstan Road and Dalby Road.
Originally the business delivered coal in the winter and converted to bathing machines on Margate beaches in the summer.
The business went from horse drawn carts to steam engines to petrol lorries and then modern diesel removal vehicles. It had been very successful in removals and storage, together with furniture and antique auctions.
The building also has an access to the underlying Margate caves system (excavated as a chalk mine in 18th Century) through the wall of the basement. It is thought this could have been constructed to serve as an air raid shelter, or could represent a secondary access to the chalk mine over which the Pettmans Depository Building was constructed.
A planning document says: “The building is a good, but not exceptional, example of a commercial building of this typology dating to the very early 20th Century.
“Externally, only the principal western elevation has a notable architectural interest, and this elevation makes a highly positive contribution to the streetscene, despite an evident lack of upkeep and some unsympathetic repair.
“Notable major features, such as the roof-ridges shown on historical photography have been lost, as have key decorative elements, such as the stained glass windows to the ground floor west elevation.
“While there is a certain lack of intactness, the building’s west elevation remains highly illustrative of the ambitious architectural decoration of otherwise relatively modest business premises.
“The Pettmans business pre-dates the construction of the existing building by some decades, and so the building represents the successes and aspirations of the business at that time.
“The business’s owners were also active in local politics at various times and so the building derives a historical interest from this association.”
The application is for the demolition of the existing warehouse to the rear of the Pettman Depository and part demolition of the vehicle repair garage to make way for the refurbishment and conversion of the property for residential use alongside the new apartment building and new houses opening onto Dalby Road.
Documents say this will: “Secure a viable and exciting use for the Pettman Depository that allows for a careful restoration, future viability and maintenance of this unique building.”
The development will, however, only provide 15% of shared ownership, affordable housing saying an appraisal shows “the proposed development to be unviable and unable to deliver ‘policy compliant’ affordable housing provision.”
The statement adds: “There are large development costs for the conversion of Pettman’s given the level of restoration work involved. Over half of the development costs are a result of the conversion, making this the more unviable element of the scheme, and the most profitable is the new build, which effectively subsidies the conversion.
“The conversion of this local heritage asset offers significant heritage benefits, and it is critical that the building has a long-term use.”
Thanet council’s housing department says it hopes for ‘continued engagement’ to find a different affordable housing solution, particularly as registered providers are unlikely to want to take the properties on.
The housing officer response says: “Thanet District Council Strategic Housing has been informed that following a viability assessment this development has reduced the proportion of Affordable Housing provided on site down from 30% to 15% and that all of the affordable units will be provided as Shared Ownership apartments.
“While we recognise the validity of the viability assessment Strategic Housing are concerned that the site will struggle to attract a Registered Provider (RP) to manage the affordable units.
“Firstly, the small number of units on this site will attract limited interest from RPs. Secondly, RPs have expressed to us on numerous occasions that Shared Ownership flats receive limited interest from prospective owners, while Shared Ownership homes remain popular.
“For this reason Strategic Housing would require continued engagement from the developer to understand how on-site Affordable Homes will be provided and their progress identifying a suitable RP to take on these homes. On-site deliverable is preferable but Strategic Housing would be keen to be kept fully updated with progress on these units and discuss appropriate alternatives if an RP cannot be identified.”
In 2013 the Pettman building was taken on by a group of artists under the banner of RESORT creative studios.
However, the then-owners sold the site for £1.2m in 2018/19 and most of the artist tenants eventually moved out.
The planning application, which was first submitted in 2024 with amended plans last year, was approved this week.
