Ambitious plans for beachfront flats and a cliff-top restaurant have been abandoned due to a row between the developer and the council.

Western Undercliff Ltd was given permission in December to construct a 'landmark' five-storey building in Ramsgate, including a café and public amenities.

But Tim Burt, a partner for the firm, claims Thanet District Council is now refusing permission for an over-sail on the building - which would hang over an authority-owned pavement - on financial grounds.

In a petition document set up by Mr Burt, he says the council is insisting on further contributions, but turned down an offer from the developer totalling more than £70k.

He claims Western Undercliff Ltd has "no choice" but to abandon plans due to the authority "blocking" the scheme.

Thanet council, however, denies this, stating it wants it to proceed and that they are trying to resolve a "complex set of issues".

Western Undercliff Ltd was given the green light to demolish a derelict beach café and build the development boasting a cliff-top restaurant and eight new flats.

The plans includes a café with an outdoor seating area and public toilets at Western Undercliff, which currently has no amenities for the many beachgoers who frequent the sands.

Previously, up until the 1980s, the beach front had huts, chalets and other facilities, but these were demolished in 1995 to make way for an access road to the port.

Developers said the new scheme would create a destination restaurant and "bolster tourism" and it was nodded through by planners.

Mr Burt has now set up a petition, calling for Thanet council to support development and investment in Ramsgate, following the fall-out.

"Despite granting planning permission and addressing all planning policies in relation to recognising the benefit to the community, employment, construction jobs, housing and future taxes they have refused to grant a separate agreement, on economically viable terms, to over-sail the pavement serving the site," he said.

"The planning permission has a separate charge of circa £3k to help protect the local environment but no other contribution was requested through the Section 106 mechanism.

"The developer had offered as a concession for this agreement to repair the local footpath, drainage and re-landscape the area at a cost of about £50k and in doing so remove TDC's future maintenance costs.

"This was rejected by the estates department. An additional £20k plus legal costs was offered bringing the total contribution to about £70k which was also rejected while not specifying what sum would be acceptable.

"In light of this intransigence, the developer has no option other than to abandon plans to develop the site."

Mr Burt says they have, from the outset, recognised the sensitivity of the site and worked closely with the community, including the Western Undercliff Group and Ramsgate Action Group, to take on board their wishes while trying to keep the development commercially viable.

"We request you support us in petitioning TDC to raise in the chamber for discussion a new policy of actively supporting development and investment in Ramsgate," he said.

"Where local support groups have actively supported a project through planning they must make every effort to assist in delivering that project.

"They should actively be encouraging and supporting investors to deliver their projects and not granting consent with one department only to have the next, acting on its own initiative, effectively block development."

A Thanet council spokesman says the authority wants to see the project proceed and is using its best efforts to do so.

"It is committed to working with the developer to try to resolve what are a complex set of issues with this site, but ultimately the viability of any commercial project is a matter for the developer to consider," she said.

To see the petition visit https://bit.ly/3rbuNer

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