A pub that closed down after a punter was shot has fallen into an unacceptable state of disrepair, a council has said.

The former White Lion pub in Cheriton has been allowed to become a shell of its former self – despite developers being granted permission to transform it into homes and a cafe.

Councillors have now served a warning notice on the owners of the former pub and hotel, located at 70 Cheriton High Street, giving them until November 2024 to make a series of improvements.

The business – which dates back to the 1850s – closed in 2006 after an 18-year-old was dealt a non-fatal injury with a firearm.

A 35-year-old man – who was reportedly renting a room at the pub at the time – was arrested and subsequently charged with possessing a shotgun and ammunition, as well as ecstasy and cannabis.

The Shepherd Neame pub closed its doors soon after the incident, and has been the subject of a number of transformative schemes in the two decades since.

Approval was given to plans to turn it into student accommodation the following year, but work never materialised and the planning approval expired.

In 2017, plans were unveiled to convert the building – then bricked up and sealed off – into a home for ex-servicemen.

Preparation for the works progressed to the point where the bricks were removed from the windows and doors, but the application was refused in the same year.

In February 2021, however, permission was granted to convert the building and surrounding land into supported living accommodation for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism.

According to the plans, the building would provide 12 bedroom suites each with a kitchenette, while part of the ground floor would be used as a cafe plus rooms for training and an office.

A new building would then be added, including supported living accommodation of three one-bed flats and three two-bed flats, on land behind. Seven car spaces would be created, plus 12 cycle spaces.

Despite permission being granted however, no work has taken place and the pub’s deteriorating condition has seen it become a “blight on the local area,” according to Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC).

The council has now served a Section 215 notice on site owners Kent County Homes Limited, giving it until November 13, 2024, to make a number of changes. If such a notice is not complied with, it can constitute a criminal offence.

This includes removing all of the hoardings and graffiti that cover the building, as well as the build-up of waste in the rear garden; replacing and retiling all of the damaged sections of roof; and replacing any missing brickwork, doors and guttering.

Cllr Polly Blakemore, FHDC cabinet member for transport, regulatory services and building control, said: “Local residents have shared their concerns about The White Lion for a long time.

“While the future of the building is yet to be decided, it’s unacceptable for the owners to leave it in this state for so long.

“Serving a Section 215 notice should ensure improvements are made and see the property return to a neat and tidy condition.”