Ten homes will be built on former railway land in Margate

The proposed design

Permission has been granted for 10 houses to be built by the old railway line in College Road, Margate.

The site is currently trees and vegetation close to Salmestone school.

Applicant DJ Investments Ltd will build one 4-bed, six 3-bed and three 2-bed homes.

The properties will front Tivoli Road and are designed to be 2.5 storey in height to match the ridge and eaves heights of the neighbouring properties.

In a design document to Thanet council it states: “It is important that the scheme while considerate to the neighbouring area, also has its own identity and style to provide a unique sense of place to not only become part of the local community but to enhance it.

“This scheme looks to provide much needed housing using high quality materials and detailing that are considerate to the local area and the environment. The materials used will, where possible, be sourced locally to support the local economy and reduce travel distances.”

A new road is proposed off Tivoli Road into the site and two. parking spaces have been provided to all dwellings including under croft private parking to plot four.

Tivoli Road is  one-way so the proposed new access will be positioned to account for this. The proposals also include some improvements to the highway on Tivoli Road by removing the brick pier which formed the support for the old railway bridge.

By removing this feature can be widened and a new pedestrian path can be created.

The design document says: “Currently the public right of way thorough the site is overgrown and unlit, the route is to be re-laid as an adoptable pathway with lighting providing a much more usable public walkway. The pathway will be overlooked by the new dwellings improving security of the public route.”

Resident objections to the site include increased traffic and loss of privacy concerns. One resident said: “The one-way part of Tivoli Road is already quite dangerous during school time and would be made worse during the construction phase and after completion due to the access road.

“My other concern is that the properties will directly overlook the school and kill any privacy the school had as well as our own privacy in our gardens.”

The scheme was granted permission yesterday (September 22).

3 Comments

  1. Surprising how suddenly after the line closed to Margate Sands in 1926, and the short section retained until 1971 which this area was part of, is now suddenly being considered for housing – after laying dormant for 56 yrs! Would’ve been better of the school had used it as a nature reserve and wild life area.

  2. The old SER line should have been a pedestrian/cycle route link through to the new Westwood Cross town that TDC have permitted to spiral out of control. But it’s too late, Nash Road cutting through the bridge has been infilled for gardens of newly built properties and the rest back to Margate is going to be developed also after 12 years of planning refusal. That’s after the goods yard and embankments were developed years ago anyway, though that could have been worked out as could the line through the industrial estate behind the former Hornby site.

    Indeed it would have been more appropriate at least for the school to have been given the site but no, TDC voted to sell the site in recent asset disposal to a developer.

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