Folkestone is celebrating after getting a £5 million boost to redevelop the seafront.

The announcement came today from Greg Clark, minister at the Department for Innovation, Business and Skills as part of a wider package funding for projects in Kent.

This is part of a newly-announced £15 million from the government’s Local Growth Fund.

The money for Folkestone will support the development of homes, leisure and jobs plus provide flood defence through beach works and give access improvements to Marine Parade.

Much of seafront has been years been a barren strip of concrete but Folkestone Harbour Company is pressing on with work to revive it.

In 2012 it gained outline planning permission for a development, designed by Sir Terry Farrell and comprising 1,000 homes and 10,000 square metres of retail and leisure space.

A spokesman for FHC said: "We welcome the announcement of the investment.

"This follows a process of application which clearly laid out the case that the site deserved support to offset extraordinary infrastructure costs.

"These include raising beach levels and other sea defences, the provision of essential services and development of roads and access routes.

"We were greatly assisted and supported in this process by the Local Enterprise Partnership, Kent County Council, Shepway District Council and Mr Collins.

"The case for this investment was made on the basis that new homes will be provided and jobs created for the area and this will have a multiplier effect on the local economy.

"Planning for this major site has continued through the recession and against many obstacles but this will help initiate the project sooner than would otherwise have been possible.

"It is anticipated that this ambitious project will reconnect the seafront and the town and make it a better place to live and work and bring up our children.

"Work on the harbour arm as a future public space is already underway and will be an exciting next stage for the town.”

Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins welcomed the news saying: “This shows that the government recognises the massive potential of Folkestone seafront. It has always been a big regeneration project.”

A spokesman for the Creative Foundation said: “We are thrilled that the seafront has secured government funding to enable it to reach the next stage of its redevelopment.

“This will be of enormous benefit to Folkestone and its economy, nicely complement our work at the Creative Quarter and will contribute towards the transformation of the area, attracting new residents and visitors in the town.”

This is one of four projects in Kent getting money in today’s announcement.

Another sum is £3 million for a lorry part at Westenhanger to help relieved pressure from Operation Stack, which plagued drivers around the M20 and A20 last week.

This had been proposed by Kent County Council but Shepway District Council opposes this because it is for 3,000 lorries, which it considers excessive.

Leader David Monk said it has already identified a spare piece of land between the motorway and railway line for up to 800 trucks.

The other two fundings are £2 million through a European rail signalling system at Ashford International Station and £5 million for port expansion at Dover Western Docks through junction improvements on the A20.

The government says that this whole package would create more than 5,850 local jobs and provide land for another £2,500 homes.

KCC leader Paul Carter said: “This is a tremendous boost for Kent. It is very good news for our economic prospects.”

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