A former community centre most recently used as a food bank is going up for auction.

Phoenix House, in Central Avenue, Sittingbourne, is set to be sold for more than £220,000.

Auctioneers Clive Emson is selling the site on behalf of Kent County Council (KCC), which owns the land.

Phoenix House opened in 1991 and around 6,000 people belonging to dozens of clubs used it each month.

However, it did not reopen after the pandemic due to the condition of the building, which would have cost the council more than £100,000 to fix.

The authority had let homeless charity The Bus Shelter Kent Community Hub use the building as a base but took it back in March last year.

At that time it said it was “surplus to requirements” and was set to be “disposed of”.

A planning appraisal has been prepared for the site but has not been submitted to Swale council.

Clive Emson says the plot is “suitable for a variety of uses”.

It said: “The site may be suitable for re-development for a detached block of apartments or terrace of houses.”

The auction ends on Thursday, March 20. More details here.

The Sports Direct building in Sittingbourne High Street is also up for grabs in the same sale.

It is hoped that a guide price of £650,000 will be enough to entice a new owner, who will enjoy prior approval for eight flats and two retail units on the dilapidated site.

Planning permission for the redevelopment of the Grade II-listed building was granted in April last year.

The scheme would require the demolition of a two-storey extension to the rear of the site, replacing it with a three-storey structure.

The building would have two commercial spaces on the ground floor and eight flats over the first and second floors, including two two-bedroom flats and six one-bedroom flats.

It is not known whether or not Sports Direct plans to move out if the project ever comes to fruition.

Though still trading from the site, its £30,000-a-year lease ran out in 2023.

Prior to life as a Sports Direct, the building was home to Walmsley’s Suite Superstore. Find out more about the sale here.