Sandwich Town Council has listed the Drill Hall as an Asset of Community Value, a move that has scuppered plans to site a funeral parlour there.

The building on The Quay was advertised as a redevelopment opportunity at a guide price of £250,000 throughout November. When bids were submitted the MOD, which owns the building, the ministry preferred Ian Dilnot Smith’s offer, despite the council bidding the asking price so it could be used for community events.

It prompted an extraordinary meeting and council members opted to nominate the reclassification of the building as an ACV.

Dover District Council (DDC) approved the nomination on Wednesday, December 21, meaning the MOD could no longer sell the property to anyone unless one of the circumstances listed in section (95)(5) of the Localism Act 2011 or the Assets of Community Value (England) Regulations 2012 applies.

The town council has since notified DDC that it wishes to be considered as a potential bidder for the Drill Hall, triggering a full moratorium whereby they have until July 5 to come up with the funds, probably a loan from a local authority lender at a preferential rate.

Mr Dilnot Smith said: “The decision is disappointing in many ways. Sandwich Town Council had known since January 2016 that the Drill Hall was to be sold, yet they did not nominate it to be listed as a community asset until, out of courtesy, I informed the Mayor that the MOD had chosen our bid.”

Town clerk Laura Fidler said having a funeral parlour on the quay undermines one of Kent County Council’s, Dover District Councils and Sandwich Town Council’s strategies for the town.

She added: “After this news had settled in, a number of the town councillors raised their concerns that although the successful bid had come from a proven and viable local business, having a funeral parlour on the Quay undermines one of Kent County Council’s, Dover District Councils and Sandwich Town Council’s strategies for the town, that is creating the right environment to harness the town’s potential from tourism and increasing visitor numbers and the ‘A New Vision for Sandwich’ proposal.

“The town council has since notified Dover District Council that it wishes to be considered as potential bidders for the Drill Hall.”

The paperwork was submitted on December 7 and accepted on December 21.

Mr Dilnot Smith added: “J Dilnot Smith & Son was willing to invest in Sandwich, providing employment, maintaining the need for the registrars in the library and bring additional commerce to the town. We were overwhelmed by the positive response from residents of The Quay and surrounding streets and very grateful for the telephone calls, emails and personal welcoming comments received from residents and shop keepers across Sandwich including some Town Councillors.

“I am told that the council will need a 100% loan to purchase a property that they do not actually need nor have a clear idea for its use. I wonder how the residents of Sandwich feel about their council spending rate payer’s money just to prevent our purchase of the Drill Hall.”