A social club more than a century old has had a bid to redevelop its premises rejected amid claims the designs would win an Olympic gold medal for "boring architecture".

Ashford International Sports and Social Club in Beaver Road wants to demolish its current clubhouse and build a new one elsewhere on the site, alongside two apartment blocks up to five storeys high,

Club bosses say the development - which includes 31 flats - is needed to secure the long-term future of the club, which has between 300 and 400 members but has been closed since the Covid pandemic struck.

However, the proposal has been rejected by Ashford Borough Council's planning committee, with Cllr Jenny Webb (Con) describing it as "excessive and unacceptable".

The Norman ward representative opposed the application on the grounds the apartment buildings – one of three storeys and the other five – would be out of character with the area and an over-development of the site.

"As the club in its present form has not been a viable business for some considerable time, [I fear] the proposal for a new clubhouse to be built on site will be abandoned and further flats proposed," she added.

Meanwhile, Cllr Diccon Spain (Lab) added of the design: "If there was an Olympic sport for boring architecture this would be getting a gold medal."

But at the meeting earlier this week, planning agent Emma Hawkes, of DHA Planning, spoke in support of the scheme.

“In recent years the members-only club has been in a financial downward spiral due to the size of the building and the cost of the site,” she said.

“The club committee is convinced that a new, much-reduced in size club premises will be the best solution for its long-term survival, enabling the site to continue to offer a social meeting place which is viable, well-managed, and will benefit the local community."

A redevelopment of the site with the goal of saving the club is “the culmination of over two-and-a-half years’ work”, according to Ms Hawkes.

But Cllr William Howard (Con) raised concerns over the height of the flats.

“My gut reaction originally was - more power to you to try to make sure the club goes for another hundred years," he said.

But he believes “five storeys is just not appropriate here”, so “with a heavy heart” he voted to reject the application.

He added that in principle he supports “doing something on this site, yes, but I’m not prepared to give up anything to make it happen”.

Cllr Matthew Forest (Con) echoed this, saying “there is a willingness to support a development here, just not this one”.

Other councillors were similarly scathing in their views of the development.

Cllr Noel Ovenden (Ashford Independents) said that rejecting plans for the “massive, boring, square, big box” was a “no-brainer”.

Cllr Linda Harman (Ashford Independents) feared the character of the town is being “eroded and lost by applications such as this”.

But following the meeting, Aaron Tomsett, project manager for Costplan group, which is involved in the application, said the council’s rejection of the plans was a “kick in the teeth”.

The social club, which used to be called Ashford Working Men's Club, has owned the current site since the 1920s.

Mr Tomsett said he and the club’s members were surprised at the refusal of the proposal, as the council planning officers were "very supportive" of the scheme, which was recommended for approval.

The club will be able to reapply with no reapplication costs, or appeal against the planning committee's decision.

However, Mr Tomsett worries that additional costs will accrue if the club and developers have to significantly change the plans before putting it before the council again.

Such costs would be on top of business rates the club continues to pay for the empty premises.

Mr Tomsett also stressed the club and developers made plans for the viability of the business after the redevelopment of the building.

“I’ve got a strategy once it’s built to help the committee actually run it and take a profit, so that profit can be reinvested," he said.

“But we need this first hurdle to be overcome before we get to that stage."