A little bit of history about development on Folkestone harbour arm

Thirty six years ago Sea Containers Property Services Ltd– ultimately owned in the offshore tax haven of Bermuda at the time, made a planning application for housing, and a marina on Folkestone Harbour Arm under SH/89/1352. 

The application was given the name – Folkestone Harbour Village.

The £100m scheme was designed by Fitzroy Robinson Architects. It proposed a total of 506 homes, 840 parking spaces, a heritage centre, art/leisure centre of 22,000 sq ft, and lock system to prevent the harbour from draining at low tide, so giving 24 hour access for boats. 

The heights of the buildings within the project were taller than Nelson’s column, 169 feet 5 inches, or 51.6 metres. The maximum heights of Sir Roger De Haan’s proposed development on the Harbour arm is 48.7m.

Between 7 – 15th Sept 1991, Sea Containers Property held an exhibition/consultation, at the Exhibition Centre on the Stade.

The project received outline planning permission in 1992, from Shepway District Council, as the council was named then.

Of course, there was a mixed reception by locals about the Marina development when it was first reported in Oct 1989.

The Folkestone Herald got out and about and spoke to locals when the Marina Development was made public. According to June Dunham

” The town could not be deader so the development at the harbour will be beneficial as long as the locals are not priced out and the yuppies don’t move in” she said.

Su Northam said

“If the complex is built to a high enough quality the people will pay to use it and it will improve the look of the harbour area in the long term“

The rest of the those who commented to the Herald, gave opinions for and against the development. But what is important to note is, there were only nine objections to the application and in excess of 150 in support of it.

The three people behind the project were Mr George Walker, founder of Brent Walker; Mr James Sherwood founder & owner of  Sea Containers and Mr Jimmy Godden.

In the end, nothing came of the development. In 2004, Folkestone Properties Ltd, who owned the Harbour, sold the land to Sir Roger De Haan, for £11m. The ultimate owners of Folkestone Properties Ltd were based in the offshore tax haven of Bermuda.

What is it, Sea Containers Property did right to  get the development over the line, which Sir Roger has not?

Back in the day, there was no internet, and as much as there were various society’s around, most approved of the development, as did the Council’s planning committee. Perhaps Sea Containers Property were more compromising than Sir Roger, a man who is “uncompromising when he sets his mind to something“ and a man who does not understand “no” or “can’t”.  But in reality we’ll never know.

Thirty six years on, Sir Roger (pictured) could only wish for such an easy ride to get his reserved matters passed by the Council’s Planning Committee.

At some time in the not so distant future, he’ll try for a second time to get, 25/0158/FH – Folkestone Harbour Plots F1, F2, G1, G2 and H on the Harbour Arm, on which you can comment like 90 others have done as 13/02/25, passed by the planning committee.

All we’ll say, as an observation is, it’s clear things have changed in 36 years, no more yuppies, but lots of DFLs.

The Shepway Vox Team

The Velvet Voices of Voxatiousness