Plans to create four new shops in a town centre have been approved – despite fears they will never be filled.

Members of Dover District Council’s (DDC) planning committee voted in favour of the bid for the former Hutchings Motorcycles site, on the corner of South Street and Middle Street, Deal, at their latest meeting.

The scheme is for 11 flats and four retail units to replace the ex-bike shop, which shut in 2023, and the Taphouse bar next door.

But during the meeting, on Thursday (March 13), councillors raised concerns over the need for more shops and whether they will be filled.

Helen Williams (Lab) said: “Deal, certainly at the moment, has got several shop spaces not let.

"I think that those four units will stay empty; we have got quite a few empty shops in Deal on the main street.”

But committee chairman Michael Nee (Lab) explained the future use of the units should not be taken “into account”.

He said: “Unfortunately that is not a planning consideration. If the applicant believes he can get tenants for them and in planning terms there is no reason not to approve them we can't take that into consideration.”

Businessman Mark Woolls, who owns Pier View Amusements in Deal and Dymchurch Amusement Park on Romney Marsh, is behind the development.

It will see buildings at 5 and 7 South Street – Hutchings Motorcycles and the Taphouse – demolished, and replaced with the four commercial units at ground level and six flats built above.

Buildings at 1 and 3 Middle Street will then be converted for the remaining flats.

One of the new shops will be purpose-built and reserved for the Taphouse to move into so the business can continue as usual.

Alan McGlashan lives next to the Taphouse building and told the committee he feared a severe loss of light to his property because of the development.

He said: “We are going to have a single storey building changed to two floors above us. The elevation will dwarf our house and we will have a loss of light.”

The officers’ report said the development was amended to introduce a light well. This is an open area at the centre of a building to bring natural light lower down.

Five letters of objection had been submitted to DDC, some describing the scheme as an over-intensive use of the site and that there was a lack of parking provided.

Deal Town Council also objected on both these grounds.

Neighbour Charlotte Manners, who has written on the DDC planning portal to object to the scheme, said: “I already have huge problems parking in the area, at any time of day, despite having a permit.”

Mr Woolls had previously said the lack of parking would not be a problem due to the development’s links to public transport.

The council also received eight letters of support for the application. These locals welcomed new shops, homes and and resulting jobs in the area.

John Jones had said: “I support this project as there is high demand for new housing in Deal and I also welcome new business into the area which provides prosperity, jobs and choice. The current property is scruffy and unsightly.”

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The committee voted through the application by seven votes with two abstentions.