New lease of life for Georgian mansion

Plans approved to renovate & re-use Grade II Sheppey Court

A Georgian mansion on Sheppey is set to be given a new lease of life after plans to renovate the building were given the go ahead.

Swale Council’s Planning Committee approved plans to build 33 one bed, two bed & three bedroom houses at Sheppey Court in Halfway and plans were also approved to convert the Grade II listed building in to 6 new homes.

The development scheme will also see the demolition of the 1960’s north & south wing extensions and a carriage house and using them as a cycle store on the Halfway Road plot.

The application was put forward by P A Rooney & Bentley Developments, and was discussed at the councils planning committee meeting in Sittingbourne at the end of March.

Fifteen members voted for the application and one member voted against whilst one abstained.

The decision was previously delayed by Cllr Cameron Beart who represents Queenborough & Halfway, after he referred the item to the committee in January. He was concerned the application was being put forward without contributions for infrastructure funding, including education & health services. However planning officers are able to secure some funding. .

Cllr Beart has said “I am pleased to see the Grade II listed building at Sheppey Court is to be restored & returned to use”

Sheppey Court’s Past

Sheppey court last hit the headlines back in 2015 when new architects were put in place to convert the listed building but were subsequently dropped. The owners at Sheppey Court were working closely with Bobbing based “Kent Design Partnership” which at the time were putting together plans to submit to Swale Borough Council.

Sheppey Court dates back to the 1820s and was the home of Sir Edward Banks, who was involved heavily in the building of the naval works at Sheerness dockyard. The property became a care home for a period in the 1960s.

It was later vacated and fell into disrepair.

In 2007, Swale Housing Association was given planning permission to convert the site for residential use – permission which has since run out.