Two new restaurants could be coming to a popular retail park as a successful butchers plans to move into bespoke premises.

Swalemill Butchers of Kent opened in Mill Way, Sittingbourne, after its plans to move into the former Pizza Hut restaurant were approved in April 2021.

But now the successful retailer is looking to expand into a new store on the same retail park, which will be shared with a café or restaurant.

As a result, its present site, next to a McDonald's drive-thru, will be available for a similar food or drink business to use.

However, it is currently unknown which restaurants will occupy the vacant sites.

Planning documents reveal the new butchers would be made up of two units, with Swalemill – previously known as Swaledale – taking up the larger one.

A planning statement explained: "It is proposed the existing unit which is occupied by the butchers' shop would revert back to its previous use for the sale of food and drink for consumption mostly on the premises.

"With the exception of new signage, which will be the subject of separate applications if and when required, no alterations are proposed to the external façade of the existing building or the existing parking arrangement.

"At this stage, the future occupier of the existing unit is unknown."

The document adds how, if given the green light, the butchers will continue to sell a range of meat and fish in the larger one while a retail firm, café or restaurant is expected to take over the smaller unit.

It was also revealed the butchers looked at vacant sites in the town centre but no suitable places were found.

The planning statement concluded: "Overall, the proposed development seeks to enhance the café and restaurant provision within Sittingbourne as well as provide a local business an opportunity to grow and better serve the population of Sittingbourne.

"The development does not affect the vitality and viability of the town centre and provides a complementary use to the existing retail park at an edge of town centre location."

You can view the plans by clicking here. www.tinyurl.com,

Use the reference 22/503891/FULL.

Swalemill declined to comment on its move.