A landmark, historic hotel is to become a community hub with extra care housing.

Age UK Medway will be signing the lease for the Clarendon Royal Hotel, in Gravesend, in April, to expand its services into the borough.

The building in Royal Pier Road will then gradually transform from a hotel into a community hub known as the Clarendon Royal Community.

It will include extra care housing for over 55s with an existing or anticipated care need, valuable respite bed spaces to ease bed blocking pressures in hospitals, and a centre of activities.

Age UK Medway group chief executive John Norley said: "We have of course been on-hand to speak to staff and existing hotel residents about how the changes will affect them.

"We hope that by working closely with the hotel owner, we can minimise the change and disruption to current staff and residents, but acknowledge of course, some disruption or change will be unavoidable as the hotel is transformed into the Clarendon Royal Community.

"In preparation for the project, we have already reached out to the local authority social care commissioning teams, other voluntary sector organisations and the local health trust, to ensure that everyone can contribute to and benefit from the changes.

"This service will meet the growing need for appropriate and high quality housing for older people in the area, as well as much needed respite spaces for those capable of being discharged from hospital, but with a short-term support need in place, or for those whose carers are stretched, and desperately need a break from their day-to-day caring responsibilities.

"In addition, the project will offer a high end restaurant, for use of the public and our residents, a fully licenced bar and café and the existing function room space will be utilised for daytime opportunities and functions."

The charity has confirmed all existing function room and hotel bookings will be honoured.

Director of the firm which owns The Clarendon, Lelsie Woollends, said: "This is the best thing that could happen to the area. This is really an incredible thing.

"This is a project that will benefit all the residents of Gravesham and it will benefit everyone in the area for years to come."

When fully operational, the centre will employ around 50 people with opportunities for volunteering, work placements for those in education and potentially additional apprenticeships.

Age UK Medway claims to already have a strong presence in the borough as many people use its services and support in the Towns.

It hopes this new scheme will allow it to reach a new group of people and preserve the legacy of the building.