An eyesore seafront arcade is finally being demolished - more than a year after plans to bulldoze the derelict property were given the green light.

Work to tear down the unsightly Neptune’s Amusements in Central Parade, Herne Bay, is finally underway and is set to be completed within two weeks.

The site is earmarked for an ambitious five-storey development of ground-floor shops and high-end flats led by the Mile Property Group.

But while the city council works its way through a backlog of planning applications caused by pollution issues at the Stodmarsh nature reserve, the plot will be levelled and used as an outdoor seating area for neighbouring businesses.

Hassan Hassan, who owns the nearby Captain Jack’s cocktail bar and Makcari’s cafe, will look after the site on behalf of the developer, but will hand it back at a later date.

He said of the rundown arcade: “It’s an eyesore. It’s one of the first things you look at when you come onto the seafront and it’s not a good look for the town at all.

“It’s attracted trouble too; kids have broken in and caused havoc, set fire to things, so it really is a good thing for everyone the building is halfway through being demolished.

“When it’s fully clear we’ll look after it as a temporary garden-type set up, similar to what exists at A La Turka.

“When the Stodmarsh backlog clears, the developers will take it back over, but there’s no timeframe on that because we really don’t know how long it could take.

“It’s just important to us all that we do something with the area that can be of use to the town and will be an improvement from what is currently there.”

Tucked between Captain Jack’s and the Herne Bay Angling Association, the arcade has sat empty for years and been subject to lengthy discussions over its future.

In 2014, separate developers were given the green light to flatten the amusements and erect a four-storey building, comprising three shops and 10 homes.

The plans never come to fruition, and in March 2020 the site was bought by Mile Property Group four months after it was advertised for £900,000 by Kent Estate Agencies.

The developer unveiled eye-cacthing plans for a five-storey building, with shops on the ground floor and 10 apartments above.

Planning permission has yet to be secured as the application was one of a number of projects stalled by the discovery of high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous at the Stodmarsh nature reserve on the outskirts of Canterbury.

Speaking in 2020 when the plans were first unveiled, Mile Property Group director Michael Keckes said: “We will demolish the arcade and start from scratch. The flats will be high-spec with a nice, modern design and more of a premium price tag.

“We haven’t fully decided on the use of the commercial space, but we’re looking to have upmarket tenants in there, perhaps Costa Coffee or something similar.”