Early last month it was reported on a couple of blogs that campaigners had successfully paused the planning application process for the potential building of a Tesco near Arlington House.

This was by way of a legal challenge regarding the consideration of the listed status of the Scenic Railway (or what's left of it).

Since then Thanet District Council have announced that the upgraded listing of the Scenic Railway will be taken into account in the decision making process on the application for Arlington House in Margate.

The Scenic Railway’s listed status was upgraded in July from Grade II to Grade II*, putting it into the top 6% most important listed buildings in the country.

The plans to build a new retail superstore next to Arlington House had been passed back to Thanet District Council by the government in July. The application had been supported by the council’s Planning Committee in June.

The planning application is for a 7,565 square metre superstore which would be built on the existing car park where there would be available 409 parking spaces at ground floor, with the store placed above. The plan also proposes improvements to Arlington House, with outline proposals for the demolition of the existing retail units in Arlington Square. These would be replaced with a two, three and four storey building, accommodating shops, offices, cafes, restaurants or bars, with a 60 room hotel above, overlooking the seafront.