In a surprise announcement at Thanet council’s full council meeting on Thursday, council leader Bob Bayford announced the that the tennis courts and bowling green and Montefiore Avenue will be taken off the asset disposal list for “the foreseeable future.”
The announcement came just as Labour councillors Alan Poole and Michelle Fenner were set to put forward a petition of 1,500 signatures against the sale and development of the site.
Despite taking the green off the list, Mr Bayford defended the decision by Thanet council to challenge a bid by residents to have the site listed as a village green which would have protected it from development.
The challenge cost Thanet council some £20,000. Mr Bayford said if the village green application had been successful it would have prevented the building of a facility residents may want in the future.