Demolition work is now underway on a former eyesore site in Cliftonville that Thanet District Council has been working to bring back into use for a number of years.
The former Warren Court Hotel in Arthur Road has been one of the key targets of the council’s empty property initiative, after it became derelict and was the victim of two fires.
The council began Compulsory Purchase Order proceedings in 2009 and the order was confirmed by the Secretary of State. However, before it was implemented, the council was able to reach a voluntary agreement with the owners of the property for them to sell it to the Town and Country Housing Group. The cost of making the Compulsory Purchase Order was paid for by funds from Kent County Council’s No Use Empty campaign. No Use Empty was set up by Kent County Council in 2005 and has been adopted by all local authorities in Kent. Since its start, the scheme has returned almost 1,700 empty homes to use.
Town and Country Housing Group submitted plans to Thanet District Council last year, which were approved, to build 12 three-bed houses and convert the properties of Arthur Road to eight two-bed flats. The development includes the reinstatement of a terrace, which originally formed the third side of Dalby Square.
An archaeological dig has already been completed on the site and work has now started on demolishing the fire-damaged structure behind the façade of the former Warren Court Hotel, which will be retained. The demolition work is expected to continue until the end of June, before the building work gets underway. The development is expected to open in autumn 2012 and the total cost of the scheme is £3,296,000.
Cllr. Chris Wells, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “It’s fantastic news to finally see demolition work underway on this eyesore site that has plagued the local area for so many years. Our empty property officer has worked exceptionally hard to get to this stage. It hasn’t been easy and we had to go down the Compulsory Purchase Order route before we were able to make real progress on this. Now people can finally see results with a stunning development planned that will deliver 20 new affordable family homes that are desperately needed in Thanet. I’m sure that will be widely welcomed, given the complaints we’ve received about this property over the years.”
Town and Country’s New Initiatives Manager, Tim Warren, said: “We have been working closely with Thanet District Council on the regeneration of the Cliftonville West Renewal Area and Dalby Square is at the heart of this. The scheme is seen very much as a catalyst to others investing in the area. It will make a remarkable difference to the area and we are proud to be playing our part in making it happen.”
Steve Grimshaw, Kent County Council Project Manager, for the No Use Empty scheme, said: “It is important that with house-building declining, we look at ways that we can utilise unused buildings to create affordable, quality housing. Thanet District Council has worked tirelessly to ensure this site will have a future and we are delighted to be involved in a project that, as well as providing 20 much-needed homes, will also help revitalise the surrounding area. This will serve as a template for future large scale re-developments which will allow us to deliver quality housing in a cost effective way.”
