We Made That appointed to lead on taking Folkestone Place Plan projects forward
10 March 2022
Ambitious plans to create a sustainable and vibrant future for Folkestone town centre are moving forward.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council have appointed We Made That, with Civic Engineers, PRD, and Stockdale, to begin work on developing priority projects set out in the Folkestone Place Plan, which was developed by We Made That and approved by the council in September 2021.
The work will include engagement with partners, stakeholders and the local community on the detail of the projects, some of which will be part of an application for the government’s Levelling Up funding.
The Place Plan identifies six ‘missions’ for tackling Folkestone’s ‘Grand Challenge’ and creating a town centre fit for the future. These missions include: Celebrating What’s Good, a Town Centre for the Future, a Place for All Voices, Moving Sustainably, Accessing Opportunity and Delivering Sustainable Quality.
Sustainability is at the heart of the Place Plan, alongside improvements to transport and movement in the town centre. Sites and buildings that can be repurposed or redeveloped are also identified in the plan.
Six priority projects which are to be the focus of the work are - the Folkestone Central rail station arrival and town centre connections, the gateway into the town centre and Bouverie Square, the public realm of Sandgate Road and the town centre, the area around the new skate park F51 and Payers Park, bringing forward the Harbour Line and reconfiguring Tram Road and improving Sunny Sands.