A four-storey block of flats has been rejected after concerns the homes would be too small and lack affordable housing provision.

Council planning chiefs slated the amount of one-bedroom flats and the “unacceptable” size of some of the homes in Margate.

Developers ANG Construction Ltd lodged plans for 20 flats and commercial units on the site of a former petrol station and car wash with Thanet District Council (TDC) in January.

Working with agents 5373 Design & Planning, the firm details in planning documents that it would be “an L-shaped block four storeys high”.

The block was set to include 13 one-bed flats and seven two-bed flats, with two commercial units facing onto the corner of Northdown Road and Athelstan Road in Cliftonville.

The planned building “at least does no harm to the existing character or appearance – and at best new development can enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area,” the developers’ submission stated.

They add the dilapidated site at the moment has a “negative impact” on the area.

Speaking to KentOnline about the site previously, ward member Cllr Alan Currie (Lab) said it is frequented by fly-tippers.

“I know local people would like to see that spot developed, it’s been empty for a long time and a lot of people would consider it an eyesore,” he said in August.

“It’s been a problem with fly-tipping, so aesthetically it looks pretty awful for businesses and people living in the area.”

However, in a decision notice dated on Tuesday (October 31), TDC officers snubbed the bid.

With its one-bed flats the proposed block would cause “an overconcentration of small residential units within a deprived and transient area, further unbalancing the type and size of housing required,” the planning officer writes.

The officer criticised four of the planned flats in particular, saying they “would provide an unacceptable standard of residential accommodation for the future occupants by virtue of their overall size”.

They also note the developers did not enter into any legal agreement or propose any amount of affordable housing in the building.

‘They would provide an unacceptable standard of residential accommodation for the future occupants by virtue of their overall size...’

“The proposed development, by virtue of the number of residential dwellings, commercial units and the lack of off-street parking, would result in increased demand for on-street parking in an area where there is existing pressure on on-street parking,” the officer’s decision adds.

Responding to the decision, Mark Heyes of 5373 Design & Planning told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Going forward we’re going to work with the local authority to get something that’s acceptable on the site.”