The Ramsgate not-for-profit Heritage Lab Ramsgate has formally nominated two buildings in Ramsgate — the East Cliff Lift and the former St John Ambulance building on Sussex Street — to be listed as Assets of Community Value (ACVs) by Thanet District Council (TDC).
The nominations aim to give the local community a fair chance to shape the future of two buildings that have played an important social role in the town and are now at risk of being sold or disposed of without local involvement.
ACV status is a legal protection that applies to buildings or land that are currently, or have recently been, used to support community life — such as pubs, community centres, cultural venues and meeting spaces. If a listed asset is put up for sale, the process must be paused to allow community groups time to organise, raise funds and prepare a bid, rather than the property being sold quickly, often at auction.
In Ramsgate, the West Cliff Lift was sold by TDC in 2021 for £31,000 and remains closed with no sign of development. Whilst in 2018, despite strong community interest from Project Motorhouse, TDC sold West Cliff Hall to Westcliff Development Ltd. The site was sold again in 2025 for a profit of over £100,000 to Premier GR Limited.
East Cliff Lift
The Grade II listed East Cliff Lift, built in 1910, has historically provided step-free access between the East Cliff and the seafront, particularly benefiting older residents, disabled people, families and visitors. Initially a private enterprise, the lift was purchased by Ramsgate Borough Council in 1919 and has long been part of the town’s coastal infrastructure.
The lift closed in 2021 following significant damage caused by water ingress after lead was stolen from the roof, affecting its control room and hydraulics, plus issues with the building structure and doors. Thanet District Council currently owns the lift and base-level kiosk. On 18 December 2025, the Council Cabinet approved the disposal of the lift and kiosk, subject to a covenant requiring continued use as a lift, alongside eight other surplus assets across the district.
A report to Cabinet notes that there are interested parties who may consider bringing the lift back into commission, but also that disposal could ultimately proceed via open market sale or public auction if no agreement is reached.
Former St John Ambulance building
The former St John Ambulance building on Sussex Street served for several decades as a base for volunteer first-aid training, youth groups and community health activity. The building includes a large hall, offices, kitchen, storage, WCs and a garage. The site has two restrictive covenants, which prohibit it being used for any other purpose so the risk of speculative land banking is high.
Giving communities time and a voice
Approval of an ACV nomination does not prevent a building from being sold, nor does it force an owner to sell to a community group. However, it does require the owner to notify the local council of an intention to sell or grant a long lease. This triggers a six-week window for community groups to register interest, followed by a six-month moratorium period during which the sale is paused to allow a community bid to be developed.
“This breathing space can be critical. We’ve seen first-hand how the ACV process can make a real difference. It doesn’t stop properties being sold, but it does slow things down just enough to give communities a fair chance to put a business case and funding together. It reduces the chances of buildings being sold at auction, traded for planning gain or land-banked.”
Rob Kenyon, CEO and Founder of Heritage Lab Ramsgate
A proven approach
Heritage Lab Ramsgate has previously used the ACV process successfully, including the nomination of the Granville Theatre, now back in productive use and run by local entrepreneurs, and Ramsgate Youth Centre where Pie Factory Music is based – a music and creative hub that was saved from being sold at auction. In both cases, ACV status helped prevent the loss of valued community buildings and created space for community-led solutions to emerge.
“Having Heritage Lab Ramsgate register Ramsgate Youth Centre as an Asset of Community Value ultimately bought us time when we discovered that our beloved building was being put up for sale. It enabled us to stand up a campaign that gained local and regional attention, and brought new kinds of support and help to save the building.
Zoë Carassik, CEO, Pie Factory Music
The nominations have been submitted under the Community Right to Bid provisions of the Localism Act 2011. Under the Assets of Community Value (England) Regulations 2012, Thanet District Council must decide on nominations within eight weeks.
• The East Cliff Lift nomination was submitted on 22 December 2025, so the decision deadline is 16 February 2026.
• The former St John Ambulance building nomination was submitted on 15 December 2025, so a decision needs to be reached by 9 February 2026.
Call for further nominations
Heritage Lab Ramsgate is now encouraging residents, community groups and organisations to suggest other buildings or spaces in Ramsgate that they believe should be protected for future community use.
If a building has helped bring people together, supported local activity or wellbeing, or played an important role in the life of the town — and could realistically do so again — it may be suitable for nomination.
Suggestions can be sent to Heritage Lab Ramsgate at hello@heritagelab.org.uk
