Folkestone Seafront (non-transport)

The redevelopment of Folkestone’s harbour and seafront, to provide a comprehensive mixed use development comprising of 746 dwellings (C3), up to 5,000 square metres of commercial floorspace including A1, A3, A4, A5, B1, D1 and D2 uses as well as sea sports and beach sports facilities. Improvements to the beaches, pedestrian and cycle routes and accessibility into, within and out of the seafront and harbour, together with associated parking are also included in the plans. The redevelopment of Folkestone’s harbour and seafront offers a unique opportunity to bring forward a high quality mixed-use development project, in a prominent location on the South Coast that is less than an hour from London St Pancras via high speed rail services. The outline planning permission for the site allows for the development of up to 1,000 residential units, a mix of commercial floorspace totalling 5,000 sq.m. as well as place-making and value enhancing complementary facilities including sea sports and beach sports facilities and a network of high quality public spaces. The ambition is to re-establish this historic location as a suitably vibrant seafront quarter for Folkestone. A revitalised, dynamic harbour area will be created through the provision of a mix of leisure and residential uses. It is intended that the seafront will become a place to live and work with high quality residential accommodation and a mix of leisure and entertainment facilities offering a coastal setting with an enticing blend of sports, arts and recreation attractions. As such, the development offers a unique  investment opportunity whereby the overall quality of the development, its location (rail links from Folkestone to London) and the mix of uses proposed has the potential to greatly enhance the sales and rental values associated with the scheme and therefore the financial return to an investor.

Project scope

The LGF funds requested would go towards essential flood defence works to both raise the level of the site, and reinforce the existing sea defence – the shingle beach – thus unlocking the project to move towards detailed planning stage. In addition, funding is required to complete the development of the public access route from the northern side of the harbour, across the disused railway viaduct, swing bridge and through the old Folkestone Harbour station, enabling a route to the future development and to the already-refurbished Harbour Arm to be fully opened up to safe, public access.

£579m of investment to East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock

In total the SELEP Growth Deal with Government has brought £579m of investment to East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock. Over the lifetime of the Growth Deal (2015-2021) we aim to deliver 78,000 jobs and 29,000 homes across the SELEP area, with the Deal set to attract a further £960m of investment into the South East over the six year period.

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