Thanet’s planning committee considered a proposal on 16 September 2026 to transform the Winter Gardens on Fort Crescent from a theatre into a multi-use venue incorporating a drama school, nursery, restaurant, bar and café.

Plans to significantly expand and change the use of the Winter Gardens in Margate were considered by Thanet District Council’s planning committee when it met on 16 September 2026. Officers recommended approval of the application, submitted by Mr Matt Milchard, which would see the Grade II listed seafront venue converted from a theatre into a mixed-use facility.

The venue has been closed since August 2022 while options for its future were explored, because of concerns over the building’s condition and viability. Historic England, consulted on the application, recommended that the council approve it, saying it would secure the conservation of the Winter Gardens.

What is proposed

The application, reference F/TH/26/0411, sought permission for a change of use from theatre to a mixed-use venue described in planning terms as sui generis, incorporating a theatre, drama school, nursery, restaurant/bar and café. The physical works proposed included a two-storey rear extension to the north elevation with a roof terrace, a single-storey front extension to the south elevation, a single-storey detached office building to the north, alterations to fenestration, refurbishment works, hard and soft landscaping, new steps and ramps, parking, boundary treatment and partial demolition of existing structures.

Conservation area conditions

The Winter Gardens sits within a conservation area, and officers attached a lengthy list of conditions to the recommended approval to protect its character and appearance. These included requirements to submit details of external staircases, balustrading, gates fronting Fort Crescent, public realm materials and lighting, and cladding for a proposed pop-up entrance — all before those elements could be installed.

An archaeological watching brief was also required during excavation, demolition and refurbishment works, in accordance with an approved written scheme of investigation dated 29 July 2026.

Nursery safeguards

The proposed nursery attracted particular scrutiny in the conditions. Officers required that it be accessed solely from Fort Crescent and remain physically and operationally segregated from the theatre, drama hall and dance school at all times except in emergencies. Before the nursery could open, a noise and vibration assessment by a qualified acoustic consultant would have to be submitted and approved, demonstrating that children would not be unacceptably disturbed by performances or amplified sound from the theatre. Any mitigation measures identified would have to be fully implemented before the nursery opened.

Roof terrace restrictions

The roof terrace formed part of the rear extension and was subject to strict operating conditions. Patrons would be permitted to use it only between 08:00 and 23:00 on Sundays to Thursdays, and between 08:00 and midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and bank holidays. No amplified music, speech, recorded music or public address system would be permitted on the roof terrace at any time, in order to protect the amenity of nearby residents.

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

Winter Gardens, Margate – Jim Osley (geograph.org.uk), CC BY-SA 2.0