Thanet council serves notice on Acol Crown & Sceptre owner ordering rebuilding works

The Crown & Sceptre in Acol Photo © Robin Webster (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Thanet council has served notice on the owner of the former Crown and Sceptre pub in Acol ordering them to carry out rebuilding works – including the replacement of the roof.

Last October an application submitted to demolish the pub and build two homes in its place was refused.

The former Shepherd and Neame pub shut in May 2012. It was then put on the market for £240,000 but only one offer was received and that was later withdrawn.

In April 2013 it was sold for a sum below the original asking price but was deemed unsuitable to open as a pub again.

The planning application from Torran Construction was vehemently opposed by many residents in the village.

Margate Civic Society objected to the “complete annihilation of the historic building.”

The building is currently in a poor state with the roof gone and weather damage inside. The notice served by Thanet council requires the roof to be replaced.

Photo via David Redfern

The premises dates back to the 15th century.

The TDC Section 215 notice orders the:

Rebuilding of the front elevation wall and from second floor cill level and repairing of any cracks within the main building elevations.

Replacement of the three front windows in the same design and materials as previously installed.

Replacement of timber roof structures and replacement of the roof using the same materials and design as before.

Rebuilding the north end gable of the rear addition

The notice will take effect from  February 7 and requires the work to be completed within three months of that date.

Photo via David Redfern

A TDC spokesman  said: “The council can confirm that a Section 215 Notice has been served on the owners of the Crown and Sceptre. This requires works to be carried out to the building, including rebuilding the removed parts of the front elevation and replacing the roof, to bring it back to an acceptable standard.’

“The notice comes into effect in February, unless an appeal is received beforehand, with a three-month compliance period. If an appeal is made to the magistrates court and accepted before the notice comes into effect then further action will held in abeyance while the appeal is heard.”

A Section 215 notice can be served on any interested party where land or buildings have become untidy and are considered to adversely affect the amenity of the area. There is a right of appeal to the magistrates court.

6 Comments

  1. Good. Pity this action wasn’t taken to replace the frontage of the Kent Hotel opposite Margate clock tower when it was trashed into a neon arcade.

  2. My question is, could a ‘Section 215’ be issued to the owners/landlords of empty dwellings around Thanet, which are desperately needed to ease the housing shortage.

  3. Watch this space then! I bet they’ll wriggle out of it somehow. I would like to think that the Council has SOME clout still over developers however, but time will tell…..

  4. So what happens if the owner cannot afford these works. No logical sense in this. But I agree the works must be done But not under duress. Council should provide funds towards it otherwise.

    • It is due to the owner”s deliberate neglect and removal of the roof that it’s in this condition so it should be down to them solely to fund the repairs required

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