AN investigation has been called for to find out who owns the site for the proposed £7 million Turner Centre at Margate.

The centre is set to play a key role in reviving tourism and putting the county on the cultural map. But controversy is dogging the project.

Conservative councillors believe that Margate Pier and Harbour Company, former owners of the harbour, may still have rights to some of the water around the town's stone jetty on which the flagship arts complex is due to be built.

Thanet District Council Tory group leader Cllr Sandy Ezekiel said: "Surely matters like this should have been sorted out long before any decision was made to build such an expensive complex. To my knowledge the matter of water rights have never been brought before council members and yet it should have been part of the business plan.

"I am not suggesting that anything underhand has taken place but I do want to know why we appear not have been told all the facts from the start. We need all the relevant information in the open so we can proceed with confidence."

Cllr Sid Farmer, cabinet member for maritime matters, said: "The district council took over Margate Pier and Harbour Company and now owns the structure. However, we are not the harbour authority responsible for seafaring matters. This is still the responsibility of the Margate Pier and Harbour Company.

"A revision order is being sought by the council to become the harbour authority. I see no way that this will restrict or delay the development of the Turner Centre as long as suitable legal requirements are met."

Council leader Cllr Richard Nicholson said: "The harbour and the Turner Centre are integral parts of our regeneration scheme and are important to the development of Thanet. The question of rights is being dealt with and is something that our officers and those from Kent County Council have been aware of since the early stages of the Turner Centre project. The centre is too important to Thanet for any fundamental mistakes to be made."