Making the Trinity Road Water Tower safe
Published
Friday 29 August, 2025
Updated
Friday 29 August, 2025
Swale Borough Council has ordered the owner of the derelict Water Tower on Trinity Road in Sheerness to secure the site and clean it up.
The council has taken action against the London-based owner after the historic building fell into disrepair, becoming an eyesore and a magnet for antisocial behaviour.
The notice gives the owner two months to improve the building’s safety and appearance.
The required work includes:
- sealing all window openings with fresh, black-painted plywood
- cleaning the building's exterior brickwork and removing all scorch marks
- cutting back all overgrown vegetation to ground level
- installing a secure, 2-metre-high, dark green wooden fence around the entire site boundary
- remove all rubbish, waste, and any fly-tipped material from the land
The building, built in 1862, has suffered from neglect. A major fire in 2022 left scorch marks on its walls, and the site is frequently used for fly-tipping.
Trespassers have also entered the dangerous structure multiple times, leading to accidents.
The council’s action will make the building more secure, preventing public access and reducing the risk of injury while improving the look of the local area.
If the landowner fails to make these changes within the deadline, the council could consider prosecution or complete the work and bill the owner.
Cllr Tim Gibson, leader of Swale Borough Council, said:
“Thanks to a lot of work behind the scenes, we have been able to track down the water tower’s owner and issue him with a notice to make these much-needed improvements.
“Over time this building has fallen into a state of disrepair, becoming an eyesore, a magnet for antisocial behaviour and a risk to public safety.
“The changes we are enforcing, through our planning powers, will help make the area safer and improve its appearance substantially - following our refurbishment of Masters House and improvements to the nearby Trinity Gardens.”
