{"id":21928,"date":"2019-03-08T17:57:18","date_gmt":"2019-03-08T17:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ihbconline.co.uk\/newsachive\/?p=21928"},"modified":"2019-03-08T17:57:18","modified_gmt":"2019-03-08T17:57:18","slug":"ihbcs-heritage-from-the-doorstep-councillors-defy-officer-recommendation-and-approve-margate-seafront-hotel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=21928","title":{"rendered":"IHBC\u2019s \u2018Heritage from the doorstep\u2019: Councillors defy officer recommendation and approve Margate seafront hotel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"website\"<\/a>The Isle of Thanet News<\/em> has reported that controversial plans to build a 124 bed hotel on Margate seafront have been approved by Thanet council notwithstanding planning officer\u2019s recommendations for refusal.<\/h3>\n

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The Isle of Thanet News<\/em> writes:<\/p>\n

The six storey hotel will also contain a gymnasium, meeting rooms, a shop or caf\u00e9 with frontage onto Marine Terrace, a restaurant and bar at the ground floor and a rooftop bar. Plans were brought forward by Margate Estates, the parent company for Dreamland, and recommended for refusal by planning officers who argued the design compromised views of the Grade II* listed\u00a0 cinema building and were at odds with the town\u2019s Seafront Conservation Area aesthetic.<\/p>\n

Under the proposals Ziggy\u2019s rooftop bar and an adjoining empty building will be flattened\u2026<\/p>\n

But councillors voted unanimously against the recommendation arguing the economic benefits to Margate and Thanet were too important and that the unlisted buildings were not of historical significance. Councillor Iris Johnston said: \u2018We need more hotel beds in this town and need them throughout Thanet. It\u2019s a bland looking building (hotel plans) but in keeping with 1824 fa\u00e7ade that I fought to preserve.\u2019<\/p>\n

Aidan de Brunner, Dreamland, says the development would be a \u2018catalyst\u2019 for regeneration. He told the packed chamber:\u00a0 \u2018We have tried to be sympathetic\u2026when I look at the CGI what you can\u2019t get away from is the overbearing presence of Arlington House\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n

Liam Nabb, speaking on behalf of Margate Conservation Area Group, argued the plans could be much improved and that a better proposal could be put forward\u2026\u00a0 Mr Nabb argued there was no evidence support the size of the development following a series of proposals for larger hotels passed but then not developed leaving eyesores such as Hoser\u2019s Corner. He also suggested refurbishing Nayland Rock would be a better solution.<\/p>\n

Historic England opposed the plans\u00a0 saying they were concerned by the loss of two unlisted buildings \u2018which make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area and by the scale of the development which does not respect the prevailing height of historic terracing it echoes and harms an appreciation of the prominence of the cinema and its frontage buildings\u2019.<\/p>\n

Margate Estates says the project is expected to create 62 jobs within the hotel;\u00a0 103 direct construction jobs over three years and 52 indirect construction jobs across the region over three years…<\/p>\n

Councillors defy officer recommendation and approve Dreamland hotel<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n