Above photo taken with permission from Saunders family web.

Above image from Google, May 2014.

From the https://theisleofthanetnews.com By Kathy Bailes, 20 July, 2017.

Former Braces pub in Ramsgate to be demolished.

Thanet council granted permission this month for the project which will see the pub – formerly The Swiss Cottage and before that the Duke of Kent – razed to the ground.

Nine, two-bed flats will be built in its place. The building has been empty for some nine years.

A report on the proposals submitted by Hume Planning Consultancy Ltd states: “The building is currently boarded up and has been the subject of previous fire damage.

“The site is in a poor condition and an eyesore.”

A previous application for 11 flats at the site was refused. An appeal in 2010 against the decision was unsuccessful.

The applicant tried to sell the site after the appeal decision but was not successful.

Inside Braces Photo KDA-Urbex 2017.

The report states: “This disposal exercise was undertaken during a period of economic recession and difficulty of securing bank finance particularly for apartment construction. It was evident that there was limited confidence in King Street as a location as was evidenced in the number of buildings and sites that remained vacant and the number of permissions for redevelopment that remained unimplemented.

Inside Braces Photo KDA-Urbex 2017.
“In 2013, Hume Planning met with the then Development Manager of Thanet District Council, Simon Thomas, to attempt to find a way forward given that the building remained a prominent eyesore.

“It was agreed with the Development Manager to discuss the condition of the site with the then ward councillor. Ward councillor David Green had appeared at the 2010 informal hearing and was committed to retaining the pub when presenting evidence to the hearing.

“This position had changed by 2013 and after further informal discussion, Hume Planning was advised to make a formal presentation to Ramsgate council which involved the principle of the redevelopment of the site (involving the replacement of the pub building) being accepted in the realisation it would otherwise be likely to remain an eyesore and vacant for years to come.”

Alterations from the original plan include:

Reducing the number of apartments from 11 x 2 bed units (appeal scheme) in total to 9 x 2 bed (current submission) apartments;

Reducing the ground floor footprint coverage significantly and providing refuse and cycle storage within the main building footprint;

Providing some 90m sq. of doorstep play space which is enclosed at the rear of the site by brick walls and is well supervised by windows with outlook from the rear facing apartments;

Additionally, a rooftop garden is also provided.

A decision to grant permission for the demolition and rebuild was published by Thanet council on July 17.

The derelict condition of the building can be seen in these photos and video by urban explorers KDA-Urbex from last year. Find their facebook page here

https://youtu.be/lixT2BgEDtA

Warning: Some swearing contained and distressing image of a dead cat inside the building.

From the https://theisleofthanetnews.com By Kathy Bailes, 9 May, 2018.

Former Swiss Cottage pub in Ramsgate is up for sale.

The former Braces pub in Ramsgate is back on the property market.

The King Street site – – formerly The Swiss Cottage and before that the Duke of Kent – is being marketed by Miles & Barr as a development opportunity for offers in the region of £385,000.

Thanet council granted permission last July for the pub to be razed to the ground and nine, two-bed flats built in its place. The building has been empty for around a decade.

A planning report on the proposals submitted by Hume Planning Consultancy Ltd stated: “The building is currently boarded up and has been the subject of previous fire damage.

“The site is in a poor condition and an eyesore.”

A previous application for 11 flats at the site was refused. An appeal in 2010 against the decision was unsuccessful.

The applicant tried to sell the site after the appeal decision but was not successful.

From the https://theisleofthanetnews.com By Kathy Bailes, 22 January, 2019.

Owners of former Ramsgate pub told to clear site after resident complaints of flytipping, rats and trespassing.

Thanet council has issued a 21 day notice to clear and secure the land to the new owners of the former Braces pub in Ramsgate.

The King Street property has been empty for more than a decade. In 2017 permission was granted for it to be razed to the ground to make way for nine, two-bed flats.

But the pub, once the Swiss Cottage and before that the Duke of Kent, was then put on the sales market again last year. It was being marketed by Miles & Barr as a development opportunity for offers in the region of £385,000.

According to Land Registry £350,000 was paid for the site by Deal-based Pemberton Estates (SE) Ltd on December 7 last year. The Isle of Thanet News attempted to find a contact number but the firm is currently listed as dormant.

However, demolition work is yet to take place and residents in flats at the rear of the site say it has become a dumping ground, attracting rats which are then getting into their properties. They also say they fear a serious accident will happen due to the number of young people trespassing at the site.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: “It is in a sad, rotten derelict and overgrown state and is becoming a serious concern as countless groups of young children and youths keep trespassing on the site via an access on Belmont Street.

“I have lost count of how many times the police have had to be called out. We are continuously keep telling these groups to get out as this site is so dangerous and will result in a serious accident happening if nothing is done soon.

“It has also attracted fly tippers with numerous amounts of household furniture and waste, mattresses, sofas that have been dumped inside the vicinity and can be seen protruding from the public footpath. This is fuelling a plague of rats and mice that we have been getting in our flat. It is seriously affecting our living conditions as we have seen countless mice within our property, including under our bed and the bath and can hear them running across our ceiling.

“We found a very large dead rat in our kitchen boiler cupboard, We have been in contact with environmental health and Orbit housing but nothing has materialised.

“It is about time that something is done and whoever is responsible for the site is made to at least clear it up and make it safe and secure prior to development. We really are at our wits end.”

A complaint was also made to South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay who has since been notified of the council action.

In correspondence to the MP, seen by The Isle of Thanet News, Thanet council says it issued the 21 day notice last week. If it is not complied with the authority will issue a community protection warning and may then resort to enforcement fines and court action.

Thanet council has been asked for further comment.

From the https://theisleofthanetnews.com  By Kathy Bailes, 1 September, 2019.

Demolition notice issued for former Braces pub in Ramsgate.

Demolition of the former Braces pub in Ramsgate will take place after an application was approved by Thanet council on August 23.

The King Street property, formerly The Swiss Cottage and before that the Duke of Kent, has been empty for more than a decade and had become a dumping ground, attracting rats. Residents at the rear of the property have also previously raised fears for the safety of a number of young people who have trespassed at the site.

A notice of demolition has now been issued and will be carried out by Aylesham based Goody Demolition.

A revised planning application for the site was submitted earlier this year and is still awaiting decision.

In 2017 permission was granted for it to be razed to the ground to make way for nine, two-bed flats .

A previous application for 11 flats at the site was refused. An appeal in 2010 against the decision was unsuccessful.

But the pub, once the Swiss Cottage and before that the Duke of Kent, was then put on the sales market again for offers in the region of £385,000.

According to Land Registry £350,000 was paid for the site by Deal-based Pemberton Estates (SE) Ltd on December 7, 2018.

The new application, submitted in March of this year, is for twelve, 2 bed flats and two, 1 bed flats and a communal roof terrace. It is also proposed to create a new section of footpath along the side of the development adjoining Belmont Street, extending the curb line into King Street.

The application states: “The existing building is now in very poor order, its condition and general state of the site having become a concern of residents. It is clear that whist the property was considered previously to have architectural and heritage value, it has over time become an eyesore.

“It is acknowledged that the redevelopment of this site is extremely sensitive. In particular the loss of the original building considered by some to be of architectural significance, was felt to be unacceptable. Certainly it cannot be denied the former pub is individual and therefore for this reason its replacement needs to re-establish a landmark building within the street and setting.”

An objection of overdevelopment has been raised by Ramsgate Town Council, however the scheme is supported by Ramsgate Heritage forum.

From the https://theisleofthanetnews.com By Kathy Bailes, 14 January 2020.

Demolition crew on site at former "Swiss Cottage" pub in Ramsgate.

Demolition at Braces in Ramsgate Photo Trevor Coles.

Demolition of the former Braces pub - formerly The Swiss Cottage and before that the Duke of Kent – in Ramsgate is now taking place (January 14).

It follows the granting of an application by Thanet council last August.

The King Street property has been empty for more than a decade and had become a dumping ground, attracting rats. Residents at the rear of the property have also previously raised fears for the safety of a number of young people who have trespassed at the site.

Photo Nathan Coade.

A notice of demolition was issued last September. The work will be carried out by Aylesham based Goody Demolition.

A revised planning application for the site was submitted last year and is still awaiting decision.

In 2017 permission was granted for it to be razed to the ground to make way for nine, two-bed flats.

A previous application for 11 flats at the site was refused. An appeal in 2010 against the decision was unsuccessful.

Photo Nathan Coade.

But the pub was then put on the sales market again for offers in the region of £385,000.

According to Land Registry £350,000 was paid for the site by Deal-based Pemberton Estates (SE) Ltd on December 7, 2018.

Image Designs Architecture Ltd.

The latest application, submitted in March last year with further amendments in August, is for twelve, 2 bed flats and two, 1 bed flats and a communal roof terrace.

The former pub has been empty for more than a decade Photo Trevor Shonk.

Photo KDA-Urbex. 2017.

Photo KDA-Urbex. 2017.

Photo KDA-Urbex. 2017.

Photo KDA-Urbex. 2017.

Photo KDA-Urbex. 2017.

It is also proposed to create a new section of footpath along the side of the development adjoining Belmont Street, extending the curb line into King Street.