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“We are of course disappointed that our exceptional Forward Funding bid for Otterpool Park will not be taken forward, and are already in dialogue with the Ministry of Housing to understand the rationale behind this decision. Nevertheless, the county council will continue to work collaboratively with Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Homes England to deliver an exemplar new settlement, with the district council set to consider the proposed master plan at a cabinet meeting later this month.”
Now the irony is the bad news is not on the Otterpoolpark.org website timeline even though the announcement was made in late March. Nor have FHDC announced it on their website. We wonder why that is?
Also in FoI received by our public face, The green space is now just an ambition. It is known that Cozumel representatives wish to reduce or even eradicate the 40% green space. They went as far as asking FHDC to remove the figure of 40% of green space. Perhaps this is one of the many reasons the DHCLG said no to funding.
So where does this leave Folkestone & Hythe District Council? Where will they find the money for the infrastructure; which is so vital to the project? Well no doubt there are other sources of funding that are available. And we do not know how the Department Of International Trade got on pimping Otterpool Park at MIPIM in Cannes in mid March 2018. Did they get any bites?
Of course, we now know that Homes England have bought land at the old Ashford Airport in Lympne. They bought two parcels of land on the site amounting to approximately 60 hectares (148 acres). The map below is an approximate outline of what land has been purchased.
We must now watch and wait to see where FHDC will source potential further funding from, for the Otterpool site.
As soon as we know anything further we will let you know.
The Shepwayvox Team
