Divisive plans for a cafe next to a historic castle garden will spark "traffic chaos" in the area, opponents say. Residents are split over a bid to build a one-storey kiosk alongside Sandown Castle Community Garden in Sandown Road, Deal - with many raising concerns over parking. Having been demolished in 1863, all that remains of the castle - originally built by Henry VIII - is ruins.
But a garden has been created around its old walls and now applicant Peter Wilson wants to erect the new cafe which would replace a previous building that was removed after falling into disrepair. His bid has sparked a mixed reaction on Dover District Council's (DDC) planning portal, with 58 people submitting objections compared to 56 in support. One opponent, Marie Quigley, sent a photograph to the authority showing cars parked in the dead-end road.
“I already experience difficulty accessing or exiting my home, due to the way cars are parked, even though I have a dropped kerb and white line," she said. “Some vehicles also use my drive to turn. My dog just escaped being run over by a lorry reversing into my drive/garden.
“I have attached a photo taken on a rainy Sunday morning, taken from the cul-de-sac, showing how congested the area can get.” Christine Rudge agreed, saying she fears the road will be unable to cope with extra cars. “It is such a small area already with little parking space for residents and visitors," she said.
“It is not suitable for all the extra traffic or delive.