We live in ugly brutalist high-rise… locals say hated building kills seaside town – but every flat has a sea view
RESIDENTS living in an ugly brutalist high-rise have gushed about their love for the building – and revealed how every flat has a sea view.
The concreted tower in Margate, Kent has caused controversy among locals who said it’s killing their trendy seaside town.
The 18-storey Arlington House has been dubbed the Margate skyline and is home to hundreds, including artist Tracey Emin.
The Grade-II building, constructed in the 1960s, sits between the revamped Dreamland theme park and Margate’s classical-style train station.
But despite its architectural value, residents have slammed the building for being ugly.
Dad-of-two Andrew Creed admitted the outside of the building put him off when he first moved in with his wife and children.
He said: “I didn’t know what to think about at first. From the outside it looks like you are going into a hospital.
“I think the way it looks from the outside makes it look like ‘ergh Margate’.”
Young parents Abbie and Josh, both 24, have rented their family’s flat in Arlington House for four years.
They admit the concrete exterior is unsightly.
Abbie said: “It looks horrible from the outside but from the inside it’s really nice.”
Josh added: “It’s easy for locals to notice. They say the outside is not really the best-looking but inside they keep it tidy and clean for the people who live here.”
Other residents are even planning to move out due to issues with access and maintenance.
David Laird: “I don’t really like living here because my wife uses a wheelchair and it’s a real issue with getting about if the lifts are out of order.
“One time they broke down for five weeks and she couldn’t leave the flat.
“Hopefully we will be able to get a bungalow or a ground-floor soon.”
Plans to redevelop the plot have fallen through repeatedly – including a proposal by Tesco to take over the unit at the base of the tower.
The proposal was rejected by locals and scrapped in 2014 despite the claims that it is an “eye-sore”.
Mr Laird added: “I wish the Tesco development would have gone through but they said they were going to build her and people objected to it.
“They were going to do up all the front and spruce it up a little bit.”
Andrew added: “But when you go inside the flats are quite nice. The tower makes my kids think that they live in a massive house.
“Once you close the windows you don’t feel like you are in a flat at all.”
Residents said they love living in the flats despite its “unsightly look”.
Arlington House resident Ronnie Shaw, 76, bought a flat on the 11th floor in the tower in 2000 and lived there with his late wife.
Mr Shaw said: “I love it. It’s the view. I do not ever want to move. Where can I get anywhere with a view like this?
“I came up to visit my brother-in-law who moved in here first and I thought ‘you poor sod’ but when came in and I saw the windows and how big it is on the inside I fell in love with the place.
“I get a mixed reaction when I tell people I live here. Some people don’t like the tower – but when they come in they say ‘oh that’s nice.”
One resident who does not live in the tower said that they wouldn’t see the tower knocked down, it needed work to make it less of an “eye-sore”.
“It definitely needs a lick of paint or something doing to the outside. I hear it’s quite nice in there though.”
Another concurred: “I looked at one of the flats when I was buying and it was lovely inside.”
Thanet District Council has been approached for comment.