Plans for new cafe and community hub delayed

Councillors are set to visit the site again in December

Plans for a new cafe and community centre near a seafront pool have been delayed over some concerns.

Thanet District Council (TDC) said the proposal would provide "much-needed" facilities for swimmers at Walpole Bay, in Margate.

But some residents have objected, saying the area needs "rewilding, not redevelopment".

The project is among the schemes backed by the wider £22.2 million Margate Town Deal, which TDC secured in 2021.

'Will create jobs'

A planning application for the cafe and community space in a converted shipping container was submitted to the local authority earlier this year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

TDC received 4 letters of support and 12 letters objecting to the plans, which had been recommended for approval.

One planning committee member said the proposal would provide "much-needed facilities" for the "ever-growing number of sea swimmers and bay users", including a small cafe, toilets, showers and a flexible activity space.

"The cafe will also create jobs and improve natural surveillance on the promenade to mitigate antisocial behaviour," they added.

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Local swimmer Lisa Harris argued: "If it ain't broke don't fix it. We need rewilding, not redevelopment.

"Margate has a huge litter problem – do we want Walpole Bay to look like Main Sands after the bank holiday?

"Let's be clear this is not a community centre, it's a shipping container with no central heating."

Councillor Becky Wing also criticised the plans, saying sea swimmers want "a peaceful experience in the sea uncluttered by this sort of stuff".

Council planners voted down a motion to approve the development after a debate.

The committee then voted instead to visit the site on 5 December before making a decision at a later date.