A 150-cover restaurant and pub is set to be built beside the A2 after an appeal succeeded this week.

Marston’s Brewery, which has nearly 2,000 outlets across the country, set its sights on the former Macknade Garden Centre in Canterbury Road back in 2014, but Swale Borough Council turned its plans down.

But this week, a planning inspector threw out the council’s decision and granted permission for the “family-focused pub and restaurant”, which will offer two-for-one on all of its main meals.

A Marston’s spokesman said: “We are delighted to secure our planning permission after going to appeal.

“The site planning application had already been recommended for approval by local planning officers, however initial refusal by local committee members delayed the whole process. Now, with a planning approval, we are excited to bring a new Marston’s pub to the community of Faversham.”

Planning inspector Cullum Parker said in the appeal report: “It is clear that the proposed development would result in considerable economic benefits to the local area as detailed in the appellant’s case which is not disputed by the council, both in terms of employment opportunities and the contribution financially to the local economy.

“In this respect, the proposal would help to contribute to building a strong, responsive and competitive economy by supporting growth and innovation.

“It would also see the redevelopment of a site, which in its current state is tired and overgrown in appearance, and its replacement with a building designed to reflect a public house that has evolved over time. The proposal would therefore help enhance the historic environment by ensuring that a currently derelict and prominent piece of land near to the entrance of the ancient town of Faversham is utilised.”

Marston’s agent John McElholm said the company would invest more than £3 million in developing the brownfield site and would create 40 to 50 jobs.

The owners of neighbouring Read’s Restaurant, David and Rona Pitchford, had objected to the plans because of the effect it may have on their business and the surrounding area.

They said the development would “seriously impinge on the essential character of this beautiful Georgian manor house and its contemporary garden and grounds”.

But the inspector said although he acknowledged there would be a change to the setting of Read’s, it “did not equate to harm”.

Landlady of the Vaults in Preston Street, Nuala Brenchley-Sayers, told the Faversham News at the time the application was submitted that it could have an effect on town-centre establishments as diners and drinkers would not need to head into town.

The inspector said he had received no “cogent evidence” to suggest this plan would reduce the demand to similar outlets in the town centre.

Swale Borough Council spokesman Phil Sutcliffe said: “The inspector found that there was no material harm to the character and appearance of the street scene and area more generally, and would not result in any material harm to the setting of nearby heritage assets – the two main reasons for refusal put forward by the council’s planning committee.

“However, the inspector did not find costs against the council and argued that the council was represented by both professional officers and elected councillors who fully explained the reasoning behind the council decision in that they considered the harm from the development to outweigh the benefits and applied development plan policies accordingly.”