A scheme to breathe new life into a derelict 16th century pub could be approved more than a year after plans were submitted.

Proposals to partially redevelop The Ship in Darenth into a micropub and build homes next door are due to go before councillors next week.

The idea for the boarded-up boozer which boasts a mock-Tudor exterior was first submitted to Dartford council in January 2023 by private company Llamedos Properties.

However, the plans were not brought before councillors until the same month this year and following a late submission handed to them at the planning meeting the decision was deferred.

Llamedos Properties has applied for “an infill" development as it hopes to make better use of the vacant plot in Green Street Green Road which has reportedly been targeted by fly-tippers.

The Dartford-based company wants to partially demolish the two extensions built on the former pub and all seven outbuildings and erect another single-storey extension as a garden room.

It also plans to convert the upper floor into two one-bedroom flats and build two five-bed houses with basements.

There was also hopes to build a one three-bed bungalow but this has since been removed from the scheme to reduce the amount of buildings.

According to the amended design and access statement, two car parking spaces for each property, one for each flat with another for visitors and three for the pub, were also drawn into the plans.

If approved, the ground floor of the building would be kept as a public house and become a “micropub”.

According to the planning documents, the applicant believes the development is "entirely acceptable given the retention of the community building and its re-use at the ground floor”.

Representations from nearby businesses also supported the redevelopment saying the site has become popular with fly-tippers and anti-social behaviour and will continue to “degrade”.

However, in their report council officers have recommended that the scheme is refused as it is “inappropriate” and “would be significantly harmful to its openness and the purposes of the Green belt”.

They added: “The benefits of the development are not considered to outweigh the dis-benefits of development.”

In the amended design and access statement, the application stated that the “extensive negativity towards this proposal” was a “surprise to the applicant” as they have had similar schemes approved elsewhere.

The application was discussed by councillors at a second planning meeting on February 15 where they decided they were “minded to approve” the proposals despite officers recommending its refusal.

To allow planning conditions to be drafted in the case members did vote in favour of the scheme, the decision was deferred again.

It is now set to be discussed for a third time next Thursday (March 14).

In their report, council officers said members gave “significant weight” to keeping the pub, the addition to the housing stock and improvements to the site.

This means these factors could be used as very special circumstances to outweigh the harm to the openness of the green belt to allow the scheme to be given the green light.

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The Ship had operated under various licence agreements but permanently shut its doors in August 2019 and has laid empty since.

As it currently stands, the plot offers three former trade areas, a large three-bed accommodation and gardens with outbuildings and a stable.

In December 2021 property specialists Sidney Phillips reported it had attracted “very high levels of interest” with ten viewings held on the first day of marketing it alone.

It had been on the market for £600,0000 but the real estate agents said it had sold in excess of the asking price.