The unsightly remains of a former pub have been put up for sale for more than £1.5 million – just a month after neighbours were promised it would soon be converted into flats.

The Kemsley Arms in Sittingbourne closed in May 2013 and has been labelled as an eyesore ever since by those living around it.

At the beginning of May, former Tory councillor Mike Dendor believed the application to turn the building into a mix of flexible retail space and a possible 20-plus apartment block, was close to being approved.

It has now been revealed the land with planning permission has been listed for sale by Sittingbourne estate agent, Family Homes with an asking price of £1,550million.

The business's description of the property reads: “This is a rare opportunity to acquire a prominent building in a popular residential area.

“The former public house has planning permission for 28 residential units along with a flexible retail space which is already sold on a long lease.

“The residential aspect to this site includes the conversion of the existing public house along with an extension to form five, two-bedroom apartments, 14, one-bedroom apartments and one studio apartment.

“The site also has permission for a new block to be built to the rear for a further seven, two-bedroom apartments and one, one-bedroom apartment. There is appropriate parking for all units as well as landscaped communal space.”

Family Homes was contacted for further information but a spokesman declined to comment.

One resident, who lives behind the building and did not wish to be named, previously said: “Not only is the Kemsley Arms a derelict unsafe building waiting for something to go wrong, but an abandoned caravan outside the pub has also been damaged after its windows were smashed in.

“The derelict pub is no doubt full of rats and unsavoury creatures – some human at times.

“It also attracts a huge amount of unpleasant drug dealers and vandalism as well as vermin.

“Action needs to be taken as a priority to address this, Swale council needs to take ownership and action to sort this eyesore out once and for all.”

Cllr Derek Carnell, who represents The Swale Independents Alliance for Kemsley, said he has been in contact with the owner of the land over for some time.

However, he said he did not know about the selling of the former watering hole.

Speaking previously, he said: “The chap who owns the land wanted to change the Kemsley Arms and the application had almost gone through.

“The owner said that once the building work started he would move the caravan and the cars parked outside the property.”

Despite Family Homes saying planning permission has been approved, Swale council’s planning portal lists the application as awaiting determination.

The application, which was for the change of use of part of the ground floor of the former public house into flexible retail space and an extension into dwellings, was validated back in December 2020.

A Swale council spokesman confirmed that planning permission is yet to be approved for the property, although KentOnline understand this is imminent.

For further details on the selling of the Kemsley land click here.

To find out more about the application, visit Swale’s planning portal and enter the reference: 20/503636/FULL.