ARLINGTON UPDATE

An expert report, looking at the upgraded listing of the Scenic Railway, has concluded that it would not be harmed by the proposed Arlington development.

The Scenic Railway’s listed status was upgraded in July from Grade II to Grade II*, putting it into the top 6% most important listed buildings in the country. This came after the Planning Committee originally supported the Arlington application at their meeting in June.

Following this, the council confirmed that no decision note on the Arlington application would be issued until the question of the re-listing of the Scenic Railway had been taken into account. The council commissioned an independent report, looking at this issue, which has now been submitted.

The report says that, even though the listing was upgraded after the Planning Committee made its original decision, there was “a very sound understanding” of the importance of the Scenic Railway when the decision was first taken.

It states that English Heritage had considered the effect on the Scenic Railway throughout the consultation “irrespective of grade of listing”. The report then goes on to say that the proposed development “clearly does not diminish the rarity value of the asset” because much of the value is down to its history.

It concludes that the “particular significance which lead to the upgrading of this monument… is not harmed by the proposed development.”

A copy of the report has now been sent to English Heritage for their comments. The Planning Committee will be updated with details of the report at their October meeting, which is due to take place on Wednesday 19 October.

What is being proposed for Arlington?

The plans would see a 7,565 square metre superstore being built on the existing car park, with improvements to Arlington House. Outline proposals would see the demolition of the existing retail unites in Arlington Square, to be replaced with shops, offices, cafes, restaurants or bars, with a 60 room hotel above, overlooking the seafront.

These plans were submitted to the government, because of the size of the development and because it is outside the existing town centre of Margate, but it was passed back to Thanet District Council. The application was supported by the council’s Planning Committee in June. Since then, officers have been working to put a Section 106 planning agreement in place for it.