Falling for Folkestone: Landslides, Leas and a Council Playing on the Edge

In the town once nicknamed the “Brighton of the East,” the cliffs are crumbling faster than the council’s reputation for timely public works. Another chunk of Folkestone has quite literally fallen off.

The Leas (pictured below)—a proud promenade perched above the sea with postcard views and Edwardian dignity—has recently gained a less glamorous title: landslide central. Folkestone’s natural beauty is being undermined, quite literally, by geology and inaction. The only thing slipping faster than the cliffs is public confidence.

An Earthy Interlude: The Facts

According to the council’s own 11-page epic, Remediation of the Landslides at The Leas, Folkestone, two major landslides occurred in late 2023 and early 2024: one above the Cow Path and another, more alarming, beside The Vinery—directly above the Coastal Park’s children’s play area.

That February collapse brought down a mature tree, a chunk of cliff, and, presumably, the nerves of anyone nearby. Fortunately, a king post steel RSJ boundary wall—installed with foresight rare enough to be listed—caught most of the debris. Because nothing says “child-friendly fun” like industrial crash barriers and fencing that “prevents access along the Cow Path.”

Kent Cracks Up—Again

The latest slippage, confirms what geologists and anxious dog walkers have long feared: this isn’t an isolated event. It’s part of a pattern. One local mother told our roving reporting, “It’s very sad the children can’t play in the park, but I don’t think it would be safe with the cliff like that anyway.”

No kidding. In 2014, heavy rains caused landslides at Wear Bay Road, prompting emergency works. In 2020, another fall blocked Lower Sandgate Road. Now, Madeira Walk is closed indefinitely. At this rate, we’ll be needing Sherpas to reach the beach.

The Council Responds… Eventually

Folkestone & Hythe District Council’s remediation report, due to be rubber-stamped by Cabinet on 21 May, is dense with engineering jargon, projected costs, and—wait for it—Heras fencing. The council’s defence strategy is essentially mesh, nails, and prayer. The main tool in their kit? “High-strength steel mesh and soil nails.” Meanwhile, the cliffs continue their protest one grain at a time.

Officers note that “mature trees towards the summit of the cliff have the greatest potential to cause failure.” You heard it here: the trees are to blame now. It’s either them or the rain, which has had the audacity to fall heavily and repeatedly.

To be fair, the council’s report is thorough—thoroughly overdue. The planned works won’t begin until October 2025. That gives Mother Nature five more months to run her own demolition derby. As one local wag put it, “By the time the works are done, there won’t be a cliff left to stabilise.”

Climate Change: The Invisible Bulldozer

In a rare moment of clarity, the report admits the obvious: climate change is turning Folkestone’s geology into a roulette wheel. The cliffs are made of “poorly cemented Folkestone Formation sands,” a phrase that might as well be geological code for “dry sponge soaked in disappointment.”

Even Kent County Council’s own Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2025-2028 warns that landslips and soil erosion will become more frequent and unpredictable. So, yes, it will happen again. Where and when? That’s the geological equivalent of playing whack-a-mole with God.

Costs and Consequences

The costs outlined in the council’s cliff remediation report are as layered as the cliffs themselves—and equally unstable. The Vinery site landslip remediation is budgeted at £285,000. A further £25,000 is earmarked for “post-landslip inspections and risk assessments.” And £10,000 has already been spent on emergency fencing. There’s also £5,000 allocated for “conservation advice,” presumably to check the area hasn’t slid into a Site of Special Scientific Interest or possibly France.

Meanwhile, the Cow Path remediation—now pushed to 2026–27—is expected to cost £85,000 in total, including £30,000 for cliff face stabilisation works and £20,000 for path resurfacing. Let’s not forget £5,000 in design fees and a £10,000 contingency because, as the report notes, “volatility of slope stability under unpredictable weather conditions renders exact costs uncertain.” Translation: we don’t know how much it’ll cost, but it probably won’t be cheap.

And then there’s the elephant-sized pirate ship in the room: the play area itself. The Council’s second report, on refurbishing the Lower Leas Coastal Park – Play Area, pegs that project at a whopping £750,000. So far, £559,000 has been secured, including:

• £300,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL),

• £50,000 in Section 106 developer contributions,

• £59,000 from the Medium-Term Capital Programme,

• and £100,000 in a capital bid for 2025–26.

An extra £191,000 is now being sought to plug the gap and fund aspirations of inclusive, accessible, and sustainable play. Grants are being chased from The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund—both long shots, albeit well-aimed.

But here’s the kicker: the entire play area refurbishment is now dependent on the cliff stabilisation works finishing first. That’s right—the £750k playground plan is literally on hold until gravity agrees to back off.

The Public Mood: Disillusioned but Not Surprised

Local residents and businesses are less concerned with the technicalities of “soil nails” and more concerned with, well, gravity. One resident, posting on a community Facebook group, wrote: “It’s not erosion—it’s neglect. How many warnings do you need?” Another added: “Every time I walk along The Leas, I wonder if I’ll end up on the Coastal Park express route—no stairs required.”

Folkestone’s Sliding Scale of Risk

Let’s not pretend this is just a weather problem. It’s a planning, funding, and urgency problem. It’s a communication problem. And yes, it’s now also a safety problem. Climate change is amplifying natural risks, but a sluggish bureaucracy is making the consequences inevitable.

In the meantime, perhaps the council should consider installing parachutes beside the benches along The Leas. Or maybe just erect a sign: “Welcome to Folkestone. Stand still too long and you might move anyway.”

Until the cliffs stop falling—or the council starts acting faster—residents will continue to live on the edge. Literally.

The Remediation of the Landslides at The Leas and the Lower Leas Coastal Park – Play Area Refurbishment Project, will be discussed at the Cabinet Meeting on 21 May and can be watched here

The Shepway Vox Team

Dissent is NOT a Crime