Single-storey retail unit at Former Car Storage Site, Ramsgate

The site and surroundings

The site was open land within the urban confines, beside an agricultural field, Tesco, an NHS outreach centre and residential development.

“The site is located in Manston Road, Ramsgate. It is an area of open land, with agricultural field to the west, Tesco to the east, 'The Beacon' a NHS outreach centre to the south, and residential development to the north on the opposite side of the road. The site falls inside of the urban confines, but is non-previously developed land.”

Officer report

Earlier housing permissions

Earlier permissions provided for 48 homes, including reserved matters permission granted in May 2025.

“OL/TH/16/1715 - Outline application for 48 dwellings including access with all other matters reserved - Granted (31/01/2018)”

“R/TH/24/0133 - Application for the reserved matters of outline application OL/TH/20/1320 "Outline application for 48 dwellings including access with all other matters reserved" for the approval of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale. - Granted (02/05/2025)”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended deferring and delegating approval, subject to a legal agreement securing the reptile mitigation contribution and conditions.

“Defer and delegate for approval subject to the submission of a legal agreement securing the reptile mitigation financial contribution and subject to the following conditions:”

Officer report

Main planning balance

The proposal departed from the housing allocation, but officers considered housing harm moderate and found retail, economic and social benefits sufficient to support approval.

“In terms of the retail use, a sequential test and retail impact assessment has been submitted, and is considered to comply with Policy E05 of the Thanet Local Plan. The proposal provides economic benefits in the form of 40no.”

“Overall, the harm to housing supply is given moderate weight, but moderate weight is also applied to the economic and social benefits of the proposed retail use, for which no alternative site is identified.”

Officer report

Residents’ views

Three objections raised highway, pedestrian, retail, housing and town-centre concerns, while 295 letters supported local services, accessibility, jobs and retail choice.

“Other out of town centre sites have not been considered to see if they are more suitable, • Should be refused under Policy E05 of the Thanet Local Plan as it has not met the sequential test, • Applicant’s assessment of retail impact is inadequate and has been underestimate, • There is no realistic quantitative capacity for a foodstore of this scale, the consequence of this is drawing trade away from existing stores, and impacting on the town centre, • It is an allocated…”

“New retail unit close to Cliffsend village, • Given the number of new houses going up in the area the site is not needed for housing, • Will provide better services for the local community, • Will be more accessible and walking distance from the new houses and local residents, • Current store is very small, so a larger store will provide more varied stock, • Will stop the need to drive to Westwood and get caught up in congestion, • Provide more employment, • Need a better…”

Officer report

Who spoke

[name withheld] spoke in favour of the application, and the Principal Planning Officer outlined the report.

The decision

The committee agreed to defer and delegate approval subject to the reptile mitigation legal agreement and the listed planning conditions.

“The Chair proposed and the Vice Chair seconded that the officer recommendation to defer and delegate for approval be AGREED, subject to the submission of a legal agreement securing the reptile mitigation financial contribution and subject to the following conditions:”

“A) No development shall take place until the applicant or their agents or successors in title, has secured the implementation of archaeological investigation and recording in accordance with a specification and timetable which has been submitted to and approved by the local planning authority. B) The archaeological investigation and recording shall be carried out in accordance with the agreed specification and timetable.”

Minutes