Sifting through planning applications isn’t particularly high on the list when it comes to the perks of being a journalist, but there was a time when it was likely far more enjoyable.

Going back decades, anyone looking to build a house or craft an extension for their brewery would have to submit designs just as they do now, only these were times well before computers and tablets.

Instead of the sometimes sterile and characterless concepts you can find attached to today’s plans, you had incredible hand-drawn sketches, meticulously detailed right down to variations in the shade of the colour of a windowsill.

Despite how much time and effort went into these old applications, thousands upon thousands of them were submitted to the local council and Gravesham’s are now in storage at the Civic Centre in Gravesend’s Community Square.

Gravesham council has now tasked some of its planning team with scanning almost 70,000 of them into a digital archive.

Andy Houstoun, one of those taking on the challenge, explained: “Years ago we were trying to save space and just moved them from one place to another.

"But there’s a national programme now where we have to have a number of them online and available electronically. The next bit is to work through all the historic stuff.

“Some of them are real bits of craftsmanship, really beautifully drawn pieces of art.”

Among the applications being digitised are 60-year-old plans for some of the borough’s most iconic landmarks, including the Royal Terrace Pier and Stonebridge Road.

The designs for what is now the home of Ebbsfleet United are from 1948 and feature proposals for ladies’ toilets and an office for the Gravesend and Northfleet Football Supporters Association.

Some of the post-war applications such as these relate to “rebuilding work due to enemy action”, as the nation went about rebuilding their lives and their homes after 1945.

Perhaps the most stunning sketch of all those in the council’s archives is of Milton Church, drawn by Thorold Bennett of Parrock Street. Even the text complementing the design has been beautifully written out, befitting of some medieval tapestry.

Other applications include alterations to Gravesend’s Playhouse, again drawn by Mr Bennett, and a new house in Upper Avenue, Northfleet, for a Mr Hughes.

Mr Houston said: “It would be nice if we can find out who owns the property in cases like this.

“If you do own the property, it would be lovely to get rid of the creases, put it in a frame, and put it up in the house somewhere.”

Some took a more novel approach to submitting a planning application, such as George Henry Lacey, who was applying to site his caravan on his land in 1952.

Instead of providing the plans of the site and details of the caravan, he provided a photograph of himself standing in the doorway of his caravan.

It is fair to say that these days something more substantial would be needed.

All of these old applications will be available at gravesham.gov.uk/planning-search.

Manage to track down the origins of your local pub, or even your very own house?

We’d love to hear from you at gravesendmessenger@thekmgroup.co.uk.