The derelict Western Undercliff Café in Ramsgate has new owners once again following an exchange of contracts.
The last owner was Custom Build Developments Ltd which paid £480,000 for the site in 2022.
It is understood they have now exchanged on the property although the price and new owner have not yet been revealed.
Currently the café and toilet block are severely derelict with much of the front of the building now missing, panes smashed and inside being used by rough sleepers. It has also suffered excessive vandalism with the inside full of rubble, broken glass, burnt tents, rubbish and discarded clothing and bedding.
Thanet council building control staff have inspected the site and will be in contact with the new owner. The rough sleeper team has also visited and is making regular checks.
A Thanet District Council spokesperson said: “Thanet District Council sold the Western Undercliff site in 2018, following a competitive process. It is understood that the site will be sold to a new owner shortly.
“The council’s Building Control team has recently inspected the site and will communicate with the new owner following the upcoming sale.
“The RISE team has previously visited this location, and is not aware of any confirmed rough sleepers at present. The team continues to make regular checks and if the situation changes, will offer confirmed rough sleepers multi-agency support to find suitable and affordable accommodation.”
The café and toilets, at the West Cliff artificial beach, have been empty since the property was severely damaged in October 2014 as the result of the failure of the main Southern Water sewer.
Following the clearance of contaminated waste from the site it was found that the foundation slab of the property had been fractured, damaging the structure of the building.
Thanet council had planned to demolish the site in 2015. It was then put on an asset disposal list that year but later withdrawn.
It was put back on the asset disposal list in 2017 and a fundraiser was launched as part of a bid by The Hideaway – made up of members from the Western Undercliff Regeneration group – to buy the former café and toilets from Thanet council as a community asset.
The group had a £6,000 target and raised more than £6,330 with the crowdfunder and other fundraisers. The cash was match-funded, making a £12,000 pot.
The plan was to use the funding for everything from admin and company set up costs to engineer reports and architectural designs to overhaul the café building as well as funds for other improvements to make the artificial beach a family spot with proper facilities.
But TDC turned down the group’s bid and placed the property with Clive Emson auctioneers. It sold in 2018 for £100,000 to Western Undercliff Ltd.
Plans submitted by Western Undercliff Ltd for a café, restaurant and flats in a “ship” shaped build were approved at the end of 2020 but ditched in January 2021 by the developer in a row with Thanet council over further financial contributions.
The site went back to auction in December 2021 with the planning consent still valid and sold for £600,000.
Amended plans were lodged with the council in April 2023 by that buyer, Custom Build Developments Ltd, using the same footprint but including a reconfiguration of the residential units and axing the previously planned top floor restaurant. Instead that was replaced by one large feature apartment and the addition of an extra floor of residential accommodation – creating a six storey build.
The flats were listed as a mix on one and two-bed. The public toilets were to be managed by the operator of the café.
Thanet Local Plan requires that for developments exceeding 10 dwellings, 30% affordable housing be provided on site. The project would have required four affordable units but the applicant raised viability concerns, including abnormal costs, such as sea defences, a pumped waste system, an electricity substation, and costs for oversail rights, easements and licenses from the council and harbour.
A viability assessment included a valuation report that indicated the development would provide a surplus of £400,000.
The benchmark land value provided by the applicant was based upon the purchase price of the site at £600,000. However, it was argued that the existing use value for the derelict cafe and public toilet could be argued as being nil, and consultants Dixon Searle advised that a lower benchmark land value would have been expected, such as £480,000.
The planning permission was granted in December 2023.
In March this year the site went back on the sale market with Kallars for £1.2million.
It was then listed with Clive Emson auctioneers in July with a lower guide price of £750,000-£800,000. The property was, however, withdrawn and now passes into the hands of the newest owner.
The stretch of beach used to boast chalets, showers, toilets, the café and shelters but the building of the Royal Harbour Approach road and tunnel, officially opened in 2000, saw the end of all the amenities except for the café and toilets.
The area is still popular with families because of the small bays enabling parents to keep an eye on their little ones but it has no facilities.
Bring back the Gut Buster. That was a proper workers breakfast.
Hang your heads in shame those decision makers at TDC during time – could have been operational now by the western esplanade regeneration group or you should have demolished it there and then – it’s a bloody decaying land banking mess like the rest of Thanet
i agree with you , land banking at its most obvious
Like so many of TDC assets over the last 25 years it was allowed to “go down the pan” TDC and the estates department should hang their heads in shame.
Selling it off rather than keeping it in the community… I’ll never understand TDC.
TDC should tell the new owners to clear the site within 28 days or the council will compulsory take the clear the site and send the owners the bill if the bill is not paid the Council will put a charge on the property so it cannot be sold again until the charge is paid.
I’m fed up with Property developers buying and selling their slums making our town look run down.
Sold in auction by TDC for £100,000 then almost immediately sold on again for £600,000. This is just a money grabbing exercise by the developers who see TDC as pure idiots.