Striking rooftop restaurant bid for office block set for approval

Bold proposals to open a rooftop restaurant on top of one of Canterbury’s ugliest buildings are set to be given the seal of approval. Developers want to transform five-storey Newingate House - an office block which overlooks the ring-road - into a dining attraction boasting views across the city.

The top-storey restaurant will be housed in a “lightweight glass box” based on the cafe design at the Tate Modern. The striking plans, submitted by the Girne American University, were hatched last year but withdrawn months later after council officers recommended the project for refusal. They argued a rooftop restaurant was probably better suited for within the city walls. Developers have since redrawn the blueprints and tweaked the proposals for the outdated 1960s office block in Lower Bridge Street.

A previous vision for an entertainment venue offering indoor crazy golf, table tennis and darts on the lower levels has now been scrapped after officers criticised the loss of office space in the original proposal. However, the plan to renovate the building’s mundane exterior by installing multi-coloured panels have remained. An existing side office block attached to Newingate House will also be demolished to make way for a new five-storey extension housing 10 residential apartments, while a lift shaft to transport diners up to the top floor restaurant is set to be installed.

Eight objections have been lodged from neighbours and heritage groups. Among the concerns raised were loss of privacy from balconies, increased noise and a lack of parking spaces. Councillors are due to vote on the recommendation at Tuesday’s planning committee meeting.

A CGI of the plans for Newingate House

How the rooftop restaurant would look at night