Council says yes to Sir Roger's harbour dream

AUTHORITY HAS BACKED PLAN FOR HUNDREDS OF NEW HOMES ON SEAFRONT

- By CATHERINE LANGSTON

PLANS for a controversial multimillion-pound housing development on Folkestone’s seafront were approved on Tuesday evening as councillors voted on a revised application five months after the original scheme was narrowly rejected.

In January, Folkestone and Hythe District Council voted 5-4 against proposals submitted by Sir Roger de Haan's Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company, citing concerns over design quality, heritage impacts, and a lack of affordable housing.

On Tuesday, the motion was carried with seven in favour, two against and two abstentions.

Since the application was rejected in the early part of this year, the developers have returned with revised plans which they say addressed those key issues.

The updated proposals included several changes: the number of public parking spaces was increased from 215 to 323; a car club was introduced to reduce residents' parking needs; and enhanced provision for bicycle storage was included. The number of affordable homes – designed for shared ownership – has also risen to 53, with a greater focus on larger family-sized units.

The revised application covers plots F, G, and H, on the eastern half of the site surrounding the harbour.

A spokesman for the Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company said the company had “listened carefully” to the reasons the application was previously refused and had “responded with a new application designed to meet the council’s concerns”.