A former pub that pulled its last pint seven years ago could be set for a new lease of life.

UK Land Investors Ltd has put forward plans to re-develop the former Kemsley Arms, in Ridham Avenue, near Sittingbourne , which would include restoring, converting and extending the building to provide flats and a shop.

According to the plans submitted to Swale council, there would be five two-bed flats, 14 one-bed flats and a studio apartment, plus an additional block at the back of the site with another eight two-bed apartments, all with parking.

A planning statement, put together by agent Kent Design Partnership on behalf of the applicant, said: “After being left unoccupied for several years the former public house is in a significant state of disrepair and is therefore an undesirable focal point in the centre of the village.

“Its renovation will safeguard the future of a building of important historic merit, and the re-instatement of a flexible retail unit on the ground floor will provide a much-needed resource to serve the local community.”

It added: “The proposals also provide a new coded access gate for the site, a refuse enclosure, cycle racks and dedicated parking spaces for the village hall and nursery, as well as covered external spaces for the village hall. The application also includes the extension of the parking area in front of the village hall to provide additional spaces, which could be used to serve the new retail unit, the hall and further spaces for the local community.”

The plans show that 28 parking spaces will be provided for the new homes, if approved, with a further 10 visitor spaces. Another 16 spaces would be provided to serve the hall and the retail unit, with five dedicated for the nursery at the back of the site -a total of 57 bays.

These proposals are said to be an “alternative design” to an application that was submitted in 2014 – once again for flats and shops.

That proposal, which would have provided seven apartments in the conversion of the building’s upper floors, retail space on the ground floor, and 11 more flats built out the back, was approved by Swale council’s planning committee in 2015.

However, as a section 106 agreement was never signed, a decision notice was not issued.

The watering hole shut its doors to the public in May 2013.

To view or comment on the plans, visit swale.gov.uk/planningsearch and search for the reference 20/503636/FULL.

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