Princes Parade project in Hythe granted planning approval

After appointing a construction company to build a new leisure centre in Hythe, the council gave their approval for the controversial Princes Parade seafront project to go ahead.

In 2019, Folkestone and Hythe District Council approved plans for a seafront housing development in the Princes Parade cultural heritage park based in the town of Hythe, Kent. 

The council employed construction company BAM to start work on the site in the first quarter of 2022 and agreed on a pre-construction services agreement until the full design of the development was approved. 

The development itself will be a leisure centre, also including a hotel, shops and comes with 150 new homes; all of which will be built on green land within Princes Parade. The construction company’s contract is for the leisure centre and enabling infrastructure.

The Hythe development has been met with a lot of controversy and has even been subject to legal challenges. 

On Tuesday 25th this year, the council approved the work despite objections from members of the public who stated that the development would contaminate and pollute the sea. 

A contamination consultant for Folkestone and Hythe District Council found traces of asbestos in the soil as well as other contaminants; they recommended environmental remediation to purge the area of contaminants. 

A group of Hythe locals have dubbed themselves a “non-political group of local people who are determined to see that Prince’s Parade remains a public open space”. They have created a website and social media pages to raise awareness of the project and ‘save Princes Parade’. 

The group objected to the idea of applications being submitted to fit in storm water drain pipes and an electrical substation as they believed it would harm the wildlife and sea. Another aspect that upset the group was the relocation of badgers and reptiles as well as clearing vegetation. 

On the other hand, documents from landscape architects Mark Hanton Studio show that a ‘coastal heritage park’ will be erected on the west side of the development, as well as paths for cyclists and walkers, meadows, picnic areas and a pavilion.

Despite the project going ahead, not all the councillors were unanimous in their decision. Cllr Gary Fuller expressed his concern about the effects of contaminating the sea, saying: “I cannot in good conscience vote for it and I’d be amazed if anyone else would, anyone with a trace of empathy for the residents.

“As legacies go it’s not Blair and the Iraq war or Cameron and Brexit but it ain’t great.”

In the end, after a long fight between campaigners, six councillors voted for the project while another 5 voted against it. 

Despite the surrounding controversy, BAM Construction signed an initial contract of £2.4 million, and their final contract value is estimated to be around £23 million. 

The original cost of the Princes Parade development was £16.5 million; now it has risen to a total of £45 million. Cllr Tim Prater commented: "This was a project which was meant to be financially balanced - give or take a bit - and it really isn't any more. It's a long way from that. It leaves this council in a big hole of debt."