A historic town centre pub could be partly demolished and turned into a micropub and flats.

Proposals have been submitted to Swale council to build seven new apartments at The Wheatsheaf in East Street, Sittingbourne, which has been around since the early 1830s.

Time was called by the most recent landlord in autumn 2019.

If given the green light, there would be seven two-bedroom properties, including four “duplex flats” built at the site, opposite Aldi supermarket.

A planning statement from applicants UK Land Investors said: “This will be retained for use as a micropub on the ground floor with a self contained two-bedroom flat.”

The developers said the single-storey building joined to the east of the pub, which was built more than 100 years ago in the early 1900s, would be demolished.

The pub garden and existing car park would also be bulldozed and redeveloped as a block of flats.

'I’m sure in the future more of these High Street buildings will become homes...'

Kent County Councillor John Wright, who represents Sittingbourne South, fears more pubs will shut due to the pandemic, but welcome plans to redevelop the inn.

He said: “Any reuse of a pub which isn’t performing or is sitting empty and having to pay bills and tax is something which should be encouraged.

“A micropub will still have a great benefit to those in the community for socialising.

“Places will continue to shut because at the end of the day people won’t want properties which are sitting around not making money, so finding a way to re-use these places will be a priority for the local planning authority.

“I’m sure in the future more of these High Street buildings will become homes, cafés or social areas for people to meet to try to keep the community invested.”

To view and comment on the application, visit here, reference 21/500150/FULL.

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