Fresh plans showing how a seaside town could benefit from a £19.8m overhaul in a bid to boost the economy have emerged.

Architects have unveiled their vision for an enhanced community centre, port and harbour facilities for Ramsgate.

As part of Thanet District Council's £19.8m Levelling Up fund, the works are expected to help train young people in an array of skills.

In 2021, the authority netted the cash in a bid to central government and has since commissioned architects Curl La Tourelle, Pascall + Watson and Jan Kattein.

Now, the firms' plans show Newington Community Centre will be extended with a new kitchen, garden, pizza oven space, orchard, lunch yard, new entrances, glazed walkway and polytunnel area.

As part of a £500,000 renovation, the base in Princess Margaret Avenue will receive new cooking facilities and programmes.

Planners have also laid out their vision for the Green Campus at Ramsgate Port, which is expected to include a training centre, alongside enterprise and light industry in Military Road.

If successful, the port would see cargo travel in and out of the area via the existing dedicated tunnel - allowing for lorries to bypass the town completely.

Possible expansions to port operations would be considered by the council and port operator at a later stage - with the aim of the initial Levelling Up fund being to simply reopen the port.

Built into the plans are possible areas for development and expansion, with workspace units, teaching areas and a communal canteen set to fill the campus.

Council bosses said about the proposals: “Investment in Port Infrastructure will create a Green Port which will provide a hub for innovation and training, allied to a modern hybrid Port, supporting renewable energy and zero carbon maritime logistics.

“Investing jointly with the private sector will create a Green Campus including a Centre of Excellence for offshore operations and maintenance, space for innovation in low carbon logistics and a hub for green business.

“This investment will unlock the opportunity to provide real economic growth, job creation and training places in the heart of Ramsgate.”

Changes to the Royal Harbour include ambitious plans of transforming and extending the Clockhouse building by creating a cultural heritage exhibition space with a cafe for the public.

Meanwhile, Pier Yard car park would be turned into a new town square with TDC confirming it wants to “create an inviting public space” that “will reference the site’s rich maritime history”.

With hopes of revitalising the fishing industry and creating more jobs in Ramsgate, a new facility will be erected on the East Crosswall at the harbour.

Pascall + Watson are currently in the process of drawing up designs for the quayside building to enable freezing and processing of daily catches as well as retail space to sell from.

The Smackboys/Sailor’s Church project, also part of the harbour proposals, is in the early stages of development with feasibility studies being carried out to find a use for the property whilst retaining historical value.

All in all, around £9.4 million is being reserved for the Royal Harbour plans whilst £9.6 million is being kept aside for plans for the port.