A new student block making up part of a landmark council development in Canterbury has already been dubbed the city's ugliest building.

The five-storey structure at the multi-pronged Riverside scheme at Kingsmead has been branded a blot on the skyline, and compared to the much-maligned Gateway flats on Dover seafront.

The criticism comes amid concerns the entire £115 million leisure complex, which will have a cinema, bars and restaurants, could become a "white elephant", with just four of its 13 units under offer so far.

But council bosses insist "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and are confident there will be an "enormous amount of interest" in the development, which is nearing completion.

Progress has been rapid in recent months, with the cinema, restaurant, bar and student accommodation units taking shape opposite Sainsbury's.

The target of handing over the keys to tenants in the autumn remains on course but, as it stands, nine commercial spaces are not yet filled.

And with the covers surrounding the student block now off, some residents are dismayed with what has been revealed.

Student landlord John Morgan fears it "could prove to be the biggest and ugliest building in Canterbury".

Located at one of the gateways to the city, Mr Morgan says it resembles the imposing Gateway flats in Dover, which were built in 1959 and have caused controversy ever since.

He said: "It has a similar appearance to the ugly block of apartments on the Dover seafront that has blighted the skyline for years.

"Those apartments may be attractive to live in but they are a prime example of just how a huge building can look completely out of place and spoil the city’s skyline."

In total, student accommodation comprising 493 beds will be built at The Riverside, along with 189 residential apartments.

Mr Morgan is also concerned the population density will be higher than anywhere else in Canterbury except on campus.

"You only need to tour around Bingley Court by the Wincheap roundabout to see how a small area with too many residents can quickly get run down," he said.

Mr Morgan says the design of the Curzon cinema appears to be vertical wooden beams in a similar style to the Station Road West car park - which could soon become "mouldy and green after a couple of English winters".

He worries taxpayers' money is being "put at risk", in a similar way to the city council's purchase of Whitefriars.

His concerns are echoed by Canterbury Society member Hubert Pragnell, who said: "I do feel the the development is, or will become, a 'white elephant'."

He describes the development as a mixture of "poor quality shed-like constructions with a limited lifespan mixed with overbearing rectangular boxes" which are out of character with the surroundings.

Dr Pragnell also questions the logic of building a multiplex cinema when audiences numbers have fallen since Covid.

"I feel Kingsmead is another example of Canterbury City Council indulging in ventures without think of the potential outcome," he added.

But council leader Ben Fitter-Harding has hit back at the criticism.

"The Riverside is an incredibly important regeneration scheme and together with Whitefriars creates a really interesting mix of commercial opportunities in the city," he said.

"It’s fantastic that the scheme is delivering 189 new homes for social rent and shared ownership."

He admits student accommodation is always a contentious matter but companies would not build them it if the demand was not there.

He argues that communities "vastly prefer" such purpose-built flats, which better meet the needs of students than converted family homes on quiet streets.

The Conservative added: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but the overall scheme has been carefully designed to fit well within the area’s character - a vast improvement on the structures that existed there before."

It is hoped a national marketing campaign launching this week will significantly bolster interest in The Riverside.

Upon the completion of construction work, tenants will then kit out their units. The timescale for when the various venues at the former coach park will open is not yet known.

A 220-space undercroft car park is expected to be opened at the site in the coming weeks.

Council spokesman Leo Whitlock said: "Despite all of the challenges that have been thrown at this project, including the pandemic and the more recent problems with global supply chains, we are pleased to say we are still on target to start handing over the commercial units to tenants to start their fit outs this autumn.

"The new car park should also open around that time too.

"On top of the Curzon cinema, which has already been announced, we have four of our 13 commercial units under offer and are in the process of thrashing the final details of the legal agreements.

"We are finalising terms on another and negotiations are well underway on another two units.

"Meanwhile, a national marketing campaign in the retail and property press has always been scheduled to start next week to help raise the profile of the remaining units across the country.

"As confidence continues to grow in the scheme, we know there will be an enormous amount of interest."

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