De Haan Harbour charm offensive spins “positive response” to new heights.

“He says the modified design had a positive response from the local civic groups.”

This is the last sentence in an article by The Independent about Sir Roger De Haan’s sea front development plans on the Harbour.

“I’ve presented it to some politicians, I’ve presented it to Go Folkestone, to the New Folkestone Society and the Bayle Association, and it’s getting a rather positive response,” Sir Roger De Haan (pictured)

However, the statements according to a variety of attendees at the meeting with The New Folkestone Society, on the 30 Oct 2023, at Three Hills sports Centre, is not an accurate reflection of what unfolded that evening, nor could the society response be described as “positive”.

At the meeting many attendees were not happy with the 20% reduction in scale of the development on the Harbour Arm.  One could not honestly say Sir Roger’s scaled down and refined proposals presented at the meeting on the 30 Oct 2023, received a positive response.

Georgina Baker (pictured, aka The Folkestone Mermaid) who started the Block the Folkestone Harbour blocks petition; which has received nearly 8,400 signatures, made her disgust known at the proposals, and after receiving a rather non-flattering response from Sir Roger, walked out. Mark Hourahane, the Vice Chair of The New Folkestone Society made his concerns very clearly and very vociferously by letting loose with both barrels accusing Sir Roger of “not caring for heritage“. And Dean Richardson of Richardson & Richardson at the top of the old high street made it clear there was still more to be done. Many others in the room were not happy either, so how anyone could say the New Folkestone Society, a Civic society, gave the modified designs a positive response is beyond us.

Furthermore, our public face mentioned that the original heights of the buildings in the Sir Terry Farrell design – Y12/0897/SH, not the later amended s73 design -Y17/1099/SH, were above the height of the Leas. However, Sir Roger and his architect told him that was not true. However, evidence exists that proves our public faces was correct.

Roger Joyce a local Chartered Architect with more than 30 years experience, stated in his objection to Y12/0897/SH on the 18 Nov 2012:

it is also significant that buildings exceeding the height of the Leas, and as high as the Burstin at the East end, are proposed. The last scheme that proposed this was howled down… we should not allow buildings on the seafront to be higher than the Leas – the discovery of the new town should happen by accident, and we should be drawn there in anticipation…. indeed the old FTC8 site can again come into its own here (note Charles Evans and the Estate, please)  

To say the designs have received a “positive response” from ALL the local Civic Groups is simply not true. To have the local and national media support this narrative is concerning indeed. All we can say is Sir Roger’s attempt to spin the narrative concerns us, but we are sure he won’t be worried by that. 

The Shepway Vox Team

Dissent is NOT a Crime