Developer calls Folkestone and Hythe District Council ‘short-sighted’ after plans for eco-friendly housing in West Cliff Gardens rejected

An angry developer has accused a councillor of being “short-sighted” and “fearful of change” after his plans for an environmentally friendly housing block were rejected.

Proposals were submitted earlier this year to build the five-storey building, featuring striking “living walls”, on a site in West Cliff Gardens in central Folkestone.

But planning officers at Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) rejected Green Box Creative’s plan, saying it would result in an “inappropriate, dominant and unsympathetic development”.

The company’s director, Francesco Conte, expressed his disappointment at the rejection of the project and now plans to resubmit modified plans.

He told KentOnline: “The Folkestone Planning Authority have demonstrated their short-sightedness by rejecting modern and environmentally friendly plans such as ours because of an adherence to traditional aesthetics.

“It is the fear of change that prevents innovation, because of concerns about preserving the character of West Cliff Gardens, resistance from local residents or because of risks associated with the new technologies and design of the project.

“This resistance can hinder progress towards sustainable development, as modern approaches to addressing environmental challenges are crucial and can inadvertently contribute to long-term damage to both the environment and society’s resilience to future challenges.”

He added that he remains “passionate” about the project and is determined to “make it a reality.”

A total of four apartments were planned in the five-storey building, each of which was to have its own air heat pump, high insulation, triple-glazed windows and solar panels.

The ambitious design, which will replace a small car park, also includes vertical planting to complement the wooded landscape of the nearby Church of St Mary & St Eanswythe.

These “living walls” would improve air quality by filtering pollutants and creating habitats for various plant species, insects and birds, thus promoting urban biodiversity.

Fourteen objections to the planning application were received and submitted to the FHDC, but no letters of support were received.

However, planning officers were not convinced by the project and expressed the same concerns as residents about its design, scale and sustainability.

Although the brownfield site in the city centre was identified as suitable for redevelopment, the contemporary approach of the submitted plan would conflict with the clearly defined character of the current streetscape.

It was also noted that the project’s small contribution to housing does not outweigh the damage to the surrounding nature reserve and listed buildings.

The officer’s report continued: “As for the design of the proposed new building, while well-designed contemporary buildings can easily sit alongside historic buildings, the proposed design would introduce materials that do not fit into the context of the area.

“The proposed replacement building, due to its size, scale, design, materials and size of openings, would be inconsistent with the inherent character of the streetscape and would result in an inappropriate, dominant and incongruous development which would have a detrimental effect on the visual character and appearance of the streetscape.

“The proposal to use vertical planting is considered unlikely and appears inconsistent. In addition, the overall size would dominate the view up and down the street.

“Based on the above, it is considered that the proposal is an unsustainable development which would be inconsistent with the development plan policy and is therefore recommended to be rejected.”

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