Land that was home to a tragedy-struck restaurant - where seven people perished in a fire - could be earmarked for development, it has been revealed.

The site includes the former Crypt restaurant in Dover which burnt down in 1977 and that patch has been left empty ever since the devastating blaze.

But now, as part of a new development blueprint for the district, land within the whole Bench Street area, where the restaurant was, could be built on.

A total 100 homes are earmarked for this tiny area.

Next door to the Crypt site, at the York Street and Townwall Street junction in the town, is the empty building that had the Banksy Brexit mural - first put up in 2017 and later removed in 2019.

The overall site is also earmarked for new businesses such as shops, offices and restaurants.

The potential scheme has been revealed as part of the Dover District Local Plan.

This document, produced by Dover District Council (DDC), sets out the vision and framework for future development, including where new homes, shops and businesses should be built.

A huge array of sites across the district have been allocated for new housing, including in south Aylesham, Whitfield and Eythorne.

A public consultation on the plan is now open, after members of the council approved the most up to date version of the document.

Following news the land around Bench Street could be built on, Dover town councillor Graham Wanstall hit out at the plans.

He previously co-arranged a memorial plaque for the victims close by, and is chairman of the Friends of the Crypt group.

He said: "We always wanted the Crypt site to be a memorial garden or similar. Just to build more houses there is not appropriate."

The plan document does not specify which parts of the Bench Street area could be built on.

A DDC spokesman said: "The plan indicates that the site could potentially provide around 100 dwellings, but details will come forward at a later date.”

And comments from the Local Plan document reveal the scheme could offer "significant regeneration opportunity"

It states: "The site as a whole is also of low architectural quality and relates poorly to the wider area.

"The redevelopment of this site therefore offers a significant regeneration opportunity, with the potential to deliver a number of public benefits."

In 1992, the town's now-treasured Bronze Age Boat was found close to the earmarked land, when the area's underpass was built as part of the creation of the present A20.

The report warns that much of the area has not been checked for other possible archaeological finds and this would be needed before any new development.

Altogether, thousands of proposed homes and other developments are included in Local Plan document.

One hundred houses are earmarked for Dover Western Heights, focusing on the Citadel area.

This brownfield complex on a plateau is a former fortress that later became a prison, borstal, and finally an asylum seeker detention centre.

Planning permission has already been given for six small business units and landowner Dover Citadel Ltd aims to apply for a hotel and leisure centre there too.

The hills overall had fortifications dug into them in case of invasion by Napoleon's forces in the early 19th century.

The area is now largely a nature reserve, with the old fortifications still left in place with sparse housing and the council's reports stress the natural and historic features need to be preserved when there is any development.

Another area, Dover Waterfront, is earmarked for 263 homes.

These 11 hectares are centred on Wellington Dock and include De Bradelei Wharf Shopping Centre.

The site is considered for mixed development also including shops, restaurants, cafés and hotels.

Wellington Dock is part of Dover Western Docks, which itself is subject to continuing redevelopment under the £250 million Dover Western Docks Revival by owners the Port of Dover. This is the port authority's single biggest investment.

A total 100 homes are recommended for an area called Dover mid-town. This is the most northerly part of the town centre and is between Pencester Road, Maison Dieu Road and the High Street.

This six hectare area includes the town's police and fire stations and magnificent Maison Dieu Town Hall - currently being renovated - and Dover Technical College (formerly South Kent College) and largely redundant BT buildings.

The report says: "Overall, the site is an important but poorly designed and under-utilised part of the town centre, which offers the potential to re-shape, expand and revitalize."

The site of the former Westmount College in Folkestone Road, Dover, could be redeveloped with 60 homes.

The land, just west of Dover Priory Station, had the distinctive 1860s building, which was a Kent County Council adult education centre.

It was auctioned off in 2003 but ended up disused and in 2007 was wrecked by arsonists. It was eventually completely demolished in 2015.

Today the site has solar panels, which can be clearly seen from the other side of the Folkestone Road valley.

A total 80 homes are suggested for the town's gas holder site at Coombe Valley Road.

Some of the land is derelict and the gas holders are in the process of being demolished.

The number of homes has been doubled from 40 as an adjoining site, with the same owners, is also proposed for housing.

Meanwhile 135 homes are wanted for the former Buckland Paper Mill site at Crabble Hill. This increased from 124 to take account of a current planning application.

The building is now mixed use with homes and small businesses there and there is also a new four-storey block of flats.

Two other Dover sites looked at are the Charlton Shopping Centre in the High Street, where 100 homes are wanted and land at Barwick Road.

This is a vacant plot within a larger industrial estate and is earmarked for 150 homes.

John Angell, chairman of the businesses group Dover Town Team, said of the plans to redesign the town centre: "Going through through the part relating to Dover town centre provides no surprises that have not been known for many years.

"My main concerns for business in the town centre are the effect of the large price increases we are seeing in cost of living which will effect their customers purchasing power and are leading to substantial cost increases for business.

"We still have had no news as to whether business rates will return to the full level from April 2023.

"These matters are the ones that are foremost in the minds of anyone trying to do business in Dover."

Whitfield, just outside Dover town, could expand into the size of a town with thousands of new homes planned.

This is by far the biggest development area with up to 6.350 dwellings planned as part of the Whitfield Urban Expansion.

To date 1,732 homes have been granted planning permission in the area, including 249 in mid-October.

It is estimated that at least another 2,200 homes can be delivered at Whitfield over the plan period, with the rest coming afterwards.

The first phase of this giant development included a new primary school, which has now opened.

Families moving to the area will have a new rapid public transport system, the Fastrack electric bus service, which will connect Whitfield to Dover town centre and its Priory railway station. This expected to happen by the end of 2023.

Aylesham is the largest of the district's rural settlements and was established in 1926 to help house workers at East Kent's emerging coalfield. It was designed as a small town for about 15,000 people and was for coal miners at the neighbouring Snowdown pit and their families.

About 640 homes are wanted there. This is on land south of Spinney Lane and west of the railway line where the Aylesham and Snowdown stations are.

This land is next to the existing village boundary and is seen as a logical expansion site by the council.

The 39.94 hectare (98.69 acre) former Snowdown Colliery is earmarked for businesses such as leisure, limited retail and tourism rather than housing.

The Local Plan stresses Sandwich's unique heritage should be preserve when there is development.

The report says: "The council's objectives for Sandwich are to enhance the vitality and viability of the town centre, enhance the quality of the environment in the town, improve connections between the town centre and Sandwich Quay.

"It is also to conserve and enhance the towns rich historic environment and natural landscape and promote Sandwich as a tourist destination."

In total, 227 homes are proposed for the town.

Speaking of the local plan, Cllr Trevor Bartlett, leader of DDC, said: “The Local Plan is a hugely important document which will shape how the district will look in the future.

“It addresses where we build new housing which in turn secures vital community facilities.

"The Plan also includes policies on climate change and how we can protect and enhance the natural, built and historic environment of the district.

“It is crucial that residents have their say so they can help in creating a sustainable development framework which will meet the needs of the growing population of the district over the next 18 years.”

To view the plan in full, and comment on it, visit here.

Other areas earmarked for development in the Dover district:

Elvington: 300 homes

Eythorne: Five homes

Aylesham: 640 homes

Alkham: 10 homes

Capel-le-Ferne: 95 homes

Chillenden: Five homes

Coldred: Five homes

Deal: 143 homes

East Langdon: 40 homes

Eastry: 105 homes

Great Mongeham: 10 homes

Kingsdown: 55 homes

Lydden: 30 homes

Nonington: 35 homes

Preston: 65 homes

Ringwould: 10 homes

Shepherdswell: 70 homes

St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe: 96 homes

Staple: Three homes

Walmer: 75 homes

Wingham: 103 homes

Woodnesborough: 15 homes

Worth: 25 homes