Outline planning consent was granted in 2015 to deliver 1,000 new homes, the first plot of the Shoreline development on the beach, is up for sale, marketing the cheapest one-bedroom apartment at £430,000 and town houses over two million pounds, an unaffordable property price for the majority of residents within Folkestone.

The seafront development is going ahead; however,  it is not too late to block the final stage of the Folkestone Harbour development. The plans are for monstrous tower blocks, that are not aesthetically pleasing, or sympathetically designed to compliment the quaint working harbour, that has played an important role in history, it was reported that over 8.6 million troops between 1914 -18 departed en route to France from the port, many never to return, so is in fact, it is a memorial to those who lost their lives.

The architectural design of the proposed blocks has no flow, they tower so high, that they will cast shadows over the harbour, blocking the beautiful views when looking across from the inner harbour.

The London based architects have not thought about the ferocity of the English Channel weather, the highest block is open to the elements, with the full impact of our gales. The wealthy people buying, will only enjoy the view on a calm, sunny day, the rest of the time the walkways to the builds
will be cold wind tunnels and the sea will hit the lower levels, the balconies, a pointless addition, being too windy to sit outside on.

The plot that the harbour development is due to be built on, is currently a car park for the successful ‘Goods Yard’, where thousands of visitors come to buy from the local traders selling in the market huts, enjoy the outdoor cinema screen, eat at the many food and drink establishments and walk through the renovated Harbour Station to the Harbour Arm, where the little lighthouse stands, named now ‘The Lighthouse Champagne Bar’. Families often visit the Sunny Sands located at the end of The Stade in the harbour, they park bringing children, buggies and beach equipment, so if these blocks are built on the car park, it would stop visitors from coming to Folkestone, it is unlikely, that a Park and Ride scheme would be a successful option for this type of visitor, so impacting the Folkestone community by cutting the tourism trade.

Proposals to offer local traders retail space is unlikely to be a financially viable option for them, as it is a seaside town and trade is done during the summer months and over the Christmas period, so these small traders would not survive if the blocks were built.

Currently, the infrastructure of Folkestone is not sufficient for such builds and if these blocks are going to accommodate families, our schools are already at capacity and we do not have enough GPs to offer the required medical services that are required.

I was born in Folkestone and have seen many positive changes, however building massive, unsightly blocks around Folkestone Harbour is not one of them. A further public exhibition will be held in July 2023, followed by a detailed planning application to Folkestone & Hythe District Council, expected to happen in the autumn of 2023. There is little time to act, so please add your name to this petition to stop the blocks from being built around Folkestone Harbour.