Plans for a four-storey self-storage facility and office space at the former Westwood fire station site will be discussed by councillors this week.
US firm 1784 Capital Holdings is breaking into the UK market with recent planning approvals in London, Norwich and Bristol.
It now hopes to gain approval for the 1.6 acre to house the storage building off Margate Road with 10 parking bays to serve the facility, and 15 spaces for the office/workspace provided.
In addition, there will be an EV charging hub containing 24 EV and Amazon/DPD/inPost lockers as well as a PV panel array on the southern edge of the roof.
There will be wheelchair friendly access, accessible toilets and lifts sizes that accommodate wheelchairs. Storage units would also be made available at ground floor level to those it would benefit.
Two disabled parking spaces are also proposed and the site would create two or three full-time jobs.
The fire station site began shut down in 2011 when firefighters transferred to Margate and Ramsgate stations. It sold for £700k in November 2022. A plan lodged to build 24 three-bed homes and 12 two-bed flats was lodged in 2023 but withdrawn earlier this year.
The site has been cleared of all the previous fire station buildings and an underground 4,532 litre diesel fuel tank has been decommissioned and filled with foam.
1784 Capital Holdings say: “The development of a self storage facility would fit comfortably into the established commercial centre of Westwood Cross. The proposed facility would be designed to ensure that the needs of sole traders, business start-ups, smaller firms, as well as larger organisations can be accommodated.
“The concept is based on providing flexible storage solutions, with very small units up to larger scale units available, accessed directly by storage customers and with secure systems, including CCTV, in place.
“The ground level office workspace is also provided to help ensure the needs of businesses are being met, and is intended to house up to around 32 people if all parts of the space are being occupied. Both this and the EV hub are intended for use by the public, subject to the relevant checks being performed.
“The proposal has been designed as a 4-storey building, rising to 14.1m, which is a storey taller than the surroundings, but is not out of keeping with the local context. To meet the floor-to-floor height requirements for a self-storage use and to achieve the necessary floor area, the proposed building height was necessary.
“This design ensures the new building stands out and meets functional needs, while being respectful of the surrounding context. The existing trees lining the site, plus a few newly proposed examples, will help screen the building, particularly from the southern and eastern viewpoints.”
A Thanet council planning officer report says storage use only was not considered to encourage linked trips to other commercial sites.
This resulted in the addition of the workspace at the front of the building that would have 18 one-person booths, 5 two-person booths, two tables and seating areas, three call booths, an 18 person meeting room, and a reception area, kitchenette and WCs. The workspace would be for occupants that hold storage units within the facility.
The storage facility will have capacity for approximately 1,250 storage units available to lease which, when fully operational, could be home to around 210-260 commercial/business customers.
The report adds: “The applicant’s business model is pre-dominantly a facility that supports start-up and small businesses, which are too large to operate from home and too small to afford permanent retail/warehouse space.
“The proposal is therefore for flexible working space that enables small businesses to operate from the storage unit, with access to electricity, limited temperature changes, and a secure environment.
“While the self-storage unit will employ only 2-3 full time equivalent employees, the economic benefits statement advises the storage facility creates a local business hub that acts as a stepping stone for small buildings, enabling them to grow.”
Councillors will discuss the application at a meeting on Wednesday (December 17). Officers are recommending approval.
