A developer has submitted fresh proposals to transform an abandoned high street garage into apartments – just months after his previous attempt was thrown out.
Developer Leo Griggs has lodged his latest application for the former Riviera Car Sales site in Sandgate, which has stood empty since September 2023.
He hopes to demolish the existing single-storey garage and showroom – a prominent fixture for more than 60 years.
Mr Griggs’ application unveils plans to replace the building of “poor architectural quality” with a four-storey block of eight two-bedroom flats.
The move follows the rejection of his attempt to build nine apartments in April.
Then, Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC) refused the plans, saying the building’s height, mass and design would fail to fit in with its surroundings.
Furthermore, planning chiefs stressed it would harm the character of the Sandgate Conservation Area.
Concerns were also raised about the impact on listed buildings along the High Street, as well as residents’ living conditions.
Officers pointed to the lack of outdoor space, cramped terraces and poor natural light for some flats.
They noted that two ground-floor units would suffer limited sunlight, be positioned too close to the pavement, and offer no privacy or “defensible space” from the busy road.
The scheme attracted strong opposition from residents.
Steve Corkerton argued the design would “dominate” the street and detract from the historic architecture of neighbouring Chichester Hall.
He branded the development “ill-thought” and “completely alien” to the village.
Following the decision, Mr Griggs expressed disappointment but said he was determined to respond to the criticisms and put forward a revised scheme.
The updated application now proposes eight flats instead of nine, each with a parking space.
At lower ground level, two one-bed units have been scrapped in favour of a single two-bed flat, with all living areas facing the street to “improve light and privacy”.
Terraces for the upper ground-floor homes have been widened and planting added to make outdoor areas “more usable”.
All but one flat now has outside space that meets the council’s size standards.
The building itself has also been scaled back with roof ridges lowered.
Car parking would be provided to the rear on two levels, with access from Gough Road and Undercliff.
The planning statement argues the revised scheme would provide “high quality residential accommodation” following “careful analysis” of the site and its setting within the conservation area.
The site has a long planning history.
Permission was granted as far back as 1990 for 12 flats, then renewed in 1995 but never built.
Before becoming a garage, the site housed buildings once owned by H & G Simonds Brewery before being converted into residential properties and a petrol station.
These were demolished in the 1960s to make way for the current garage.
Mr Griggs, who has lived in Sandgate for two decades and worked on projects including the redevelopment of Folkestone’s Royal Victoria Hospital, has previously described the garage plot as an opportunity to provide much-needed housing close to the seafront.
KentOnline previously reported how Sandgate has, in recent years, gone from being best known for its antique stores to becoming a hotspot for luxury modern homes and trendy cafes and bars.
FHDC will decide on the application next month.
