Thanet District Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Panel considered proposals on 20 October 2026 to allocate more than £1.3m from the Pride in Place Impact Fund to restore the Grade II listed Margate Museum and Old Town Hall and to regenerate Pierremont Park in Broadstairs.

Thanet District Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Panel considered proposals on 20 October 2026 to direct nearly £1.3 million of central government capital funding towards two heritage and green-space projects in Margate and Broadstairs.

Margate Museum and Old Town Hall

Officers recommended that Cabinet approve the allocation of £912,530 from the Pride in Place Impact Fund (PiPIF) for the comprehensive restoration of the Grade II listed Margate Museum and Old Town Hall, located in the Margate Old Town Conservation Area.

The total estimated project cost is £3,667,684. The PiPIF allocation would be supplemented by a £999,000 application to Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, £1,215,000 from other sources, and the remainder through borrowing. Any underspend from other PiPIF projects would be directed to the Margate scheme to reduce the council’s borrowing requirement.

The report described the buildings as suffering from a long-term lack of investment following years of austerity. Planned works include structural repairs, roof remediation, mechanical and electrical systems overhaul, and accessibility improvements such as level access into the museum and access to the first floor for all users. The vacant Old Town Hall would be adapted for community use, with public engagement identifying potential uses including a community and welfare hub, an education and learning centre, or cultural and creative activities.

The conservation-accredited design team Lee Evans Partnership has been engaged, with designs currently at RIBA Stage 2. A 15% project-wide contingency has been included, in addition to contingency allocated to construction costs.

Pierremont Park, Broadstairs

Officers also recommended that Cabinet approve an allocation of up to £400,000 from the PiPIF for the regeneration of Pierremont Park in Broadstairs, which surrounds the Grade II listed Pierremont Hall. The report stated the park required investment to improve its historic features, pathways, and accessibility.

Wider fund allocations

The council has been allocated £1.5 million in total from the PiPIF by central government, split equally across two financial years — £750,000 in 2025-26 and £750,000 in 2026-27. All funding must be fully committed by 31 March 2027.

Separate allocations from the fund include up to £137,470 for projects put forward by eight Town and Parish Councils, with any underspend redirected to the Margate scheme, and a £50,000 grant to the Sarah Thorne Theatre. Ramsgate was not included in PiPIF allocations as the town has already received £20 million through the separate Pride in Place Programme.

The council had not published the minutes of the meeting at the time of writing, so the committee’s decision is not yet on the public record.

Sources

Top image: illustrative, computer-generated. Illustrative AI-generated image. This is not a photograph of Pierremont Park or any real location.