Princes Parade, Folkestone

Leading a multi-disciplinary team, Tibbalds developed a masterplan which responds carefully to the key design considerations including views, relationship to the adjacent Royal Military Canal (a Scheduled Ancient Monument), ground conditions, flood risk and the need to accommodate various protected species.

In addition to these technical constraints, the redevelopment of the site is controversial within the local community and thus the masterplan seeks to address the concerns and aspirations of local residents and stakeholders as far as possible.

The masterplan will transform this stretch of the seafront, creating a vibrant addition to Folkestone and Hythe with a new leisure centre, 150 homes, local shops/restaurants, over 3ha of public open space and a new vehicle-free promenade.

Tibbalds prepared and negotiated a hybrid planning application which included the detailed design of the leisure centre (to be developed as a first phase) and outline proposals for the remainder of the scheme, including an overarching Environmental Statement. Tibbalds also prepared a Design Code to guide and control the quality of the outline elements of the scheme.