A PLANNING blueprint to bring a historic Kent amusement park into the future has been approved.

Plans for the former site of Dreamland, in Margate were given the green light by Thanet Council, and include some residential development, but the majority of the site, including the listed Dreamland building and Scenic Railway, will remain and be incorporated into new amusement facilities.

Local people were asked for their views on the planning guidance and the majority agreed with its proposals, although there was a concern that as much of the site as possible should be retained for leisure to avoid more homes being built.

The residential space will help to fund the provision and operation of a new high-quality amusement park in the future.

The planning guidance for potential developers was developed by the council, liaising with a number of other organisations, including the Margate Renewal Partnership, SEEDA, Kent County Council, English Partnerships and the Save Dreamland Campaign.

Cllr Roger Latchford, cabinet member for culture and economy, said: "This planning guidance clearly sets out to prospective developers exactly what the council - and the local community - are looking for on the site.

"People have made it clear that they wish to keep an amusement park on the majority of the site and to avoid more house building, but we have to be realistic and accept that for the first to happen, it will probably need to be funded by an element of residential development.

"Now that this guidance is in place, we look forward to working with developers and seeing their ideas."

A second planning brief will now be prepared for the town's Arlington Square site.