Plans to transform a vacant pub into flats and a micropub have accelerated after two years on the market.

The Wheatsheaf in East Street, Sittingbourne, is earmarked for a revamp but a buyer is yet to come forward to carry out the work.

It went up for sale in June 2022 with approved planning permission which was granted more than three years ago.

It is understood a developer has not come forward due to a tough financial market but also because conditions needed to be met before any construction could start.

The price of the land has dropped from £625,000 to its current fee of £595,000 since being put on the market.

One of the conditions was an archaeological survey which was carried out in the former car park on Wednesday (August 21). It did not find anything of interest.

Another condition was a programme of work which has been submitted to Swale council.

Once the conditions are fulfilled a developer can start building straight away if it was to buy the land, which will make it more attractive to potential buyers.

The pub, which is opposite Aldi, had been serving punters since the 1830s but closed in autumn 2019 and has remained vacant since.

The plans to transform the site were lodged in January 2021 and were approved in November of the same year.

Under the proposals, the pub building would be retained and turned into a micropub while the single-storey pub extension would be knocked down.

This would make way for a new mainly three-storey building which would also take up the beer garden and car park space.

Part of the new block would have two floors and is furthest away from the original pub building.

There would be seven two-bedroom properties, including four “duplex flats” – apartments spread over two floors.

The rest of the premises would be used for six car parking spaces which would have electric charging ports.

Agent Family Homes is selling the lot.