LOCALS say their picturesque town is being ruined by a former Aldi “eyesore” which has become “dangerous”.
The site of the supermarket in Hythe, Kent, has been empty for more than four years and is now an “accident waiting to happen”.
SWNSThe Aldi in Hythe has been labeled an ‘eyesore’ by locals[/caption]
SWNSMatthew Jones is calling for emergency repair works on the ‘dangerous’ building[/caption]
Residents in the town are calling for repairs to be made as soon as possible to the “eyesore” with loose guttering hanging from the building.
Plans were drawn up by developers in 2022 to turn the old supermarket, located behind the high street, into a mix of smaller shops and apartments with hopes the work could be finished last year.
However, an official application has not yet been submitted to Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC).
Resident Matthew Jones told KentOnline: “The building is becoming an eyesore in the middle of a historic town.
“In the summer months, many more people will be visiting Hythe and it is such a shame the site continues to be left in such a state.
“The building is now at a point where it is dangerous for people to be near.”
Property developers In5Group revealed plans in March 2022 to knock down some existing buildings and refurbish others in order to create 35 homes along with seven shops.
The company’s website said a planning application would be submitted in April that year with hopes work would start between winter 2022 and spring 2023.
However, the developers had to go back to the drawing board after the proposal was deemed to be “unacceptable” by Hythe Civic Society.
Mr Jones said people living in Hythe deserved to know what was going on and the owners of the building needed to start a dialogue about what the future held.
Another resident, who did not want to be identified, said the loose guttering on the building was an “accident waiting to happen”.
The man said: “It’s not surprising it is falling apart with how long it has been left empty.
“The guttering looks as if it could fall at any moment and hit someone’s parked car – or, even worse, land on a person.”
While another person who also wanted to remain anonymous said the building was an “eyesore” and said it was “about time” that something was done with the building.
In September last year, the site’s owners said they still wanted to proceed with the scheme.
At the time, a spokesperson said: “We continue to work with various stakeholders including the Design Review Panel with a view to submitting a planning application as soon as possible.”
Hythe Town Council Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer Julie Abbott told The Sun Online: “I am sure councillors would wholeheartedly support the resident’s views with regards to the maintenance and safety of the building.”
A spokesman for the FHDC said they had not received any update from the developer.
In5Group has been contacted by The Sun Online for comment.
The former supermarket is not the only development in the community causing friction.
Plans for almost 50 “brutalist” flats at the former St Saviour’s hospital site in Hythe were approved in October.
In summer, Hythe also saw huge barriers erected around Princes Parade which left the area looking like Belfast during the troubles.
SWNSThe building could be set for development, which had previously been stopped by the Hythe Civic Society[/caption]
SWNSGuttering around the former Aldi is now falling off the building[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
