Multi-million pound plans to transform derelict seafront arcades into a five-storey development of high-end flats and a shop have been unveiled.

The company behind the vision for the vacant Neptunes Amusements in Herne Bay is hoping to entice the likes of Costa Coffee into the commercial space planned for the site.

Canterbury-based Mile Property Group also wants to build 10 flats, each equipped with their own parking spaces, above the ground-floor premises once the rundown structure is flattened.

Director Michael Keckes told KentOnline: “The existing site is a derelict single-storey shop that has been closed for many years.

“It has attracted a lot of vandals, kids and people dumping stuff on the land. By developing it all, we’re going to bring it back to use.

“We will demolish the arcade and start from scratch. The flats will be high-spec with a nice, modern design and more of a premium price tag.

“We haven’t fully decided on the use of the commercial space, but we’re looking to have upmarket tenants in there, perhaps Costa Coffee or something similar.”

Mile Property Group signed off on a deal to buy the rundown plot in Central Parade in March - four months after the 0.2-acre site was first advertised for £900,000 by Kent Estate Agencies.

And now the company is preparing to submit a full application to Canterbury City Council for the former amusements later this month.

If given the go-ahead by the local authority, Mr Keckes expects to complete construction at the beginning of 2022.

“We are looking to start building as soon as it’s granted, so we’re not going to be waiting for anything,” the developer added.

“We’ve been working on this for the past two months.

"It’s in a conservation area and we didn’t want to design anything that was too modern and didn’t fit in with the rest of the area.”

Separate developers had been given the green light by the city council in 2014 to erect a four-storey building, containing three shops and 10 homes, in place of the arcade.

They also had a bid to construct a block of nine flats to the rear of the site approved by the local authority - but both sets of permissions have since expired.

If the latest bid is successful, it will be the third prominent plot in Central Parade to be transformed in recent years - following the redevelopment of the former Bun Penny pub and the ex-servicemen’s club.

“Herne Bay’s a really up-and-coming area,” Mr Keckes continued.

“Whitstable has gone through a really nice phase over the past few years and it seems like Herne Bay has been improving every year as well.

“We thought this was one of the last few remaining seafront brownfield sites which has got huge potential.”

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