Pictures taken from the sky show how Folkestone’s multi-million pound seafront development is taking shape

The birdseye view photographs were captured from one of the two tower cranes at the construction site on the beach and reveal how the scheme is ‘emerging out of the ground’.

Work started in early 2020 to create the mix of 84 new luxury flats and town houses, part of philanthropist Sir Roger De Haan’s vision for the coastline.

The western apartment block and row of houses are now rising from the shingle, as teams continue to work through the third national lockdown.

Three floors of the first apartment block are now in place.

When complete the development will include 60 flats and 24 houses, offering views over the English Channel.

Sir Roger’s Folkestone Harbour and Seafront Development Company is behind the scheme with Jenner leading the construction.

It is part of a proposed 1,000-home masterplan destined for Folkestone’s seaside, which will also include restaurants, cafes, shops and public spaces, and will run all the way to the harbour arm.

Outline planning permission for the whole scheme was secured in 2015 and permission for this first stage was granted at the end of 2018.

Martin Sandall, managing director for Jenner. said the pandemic has impacted on construction.

He said: “With a duty of care to keep all our people safe, construction could only continue with incredibly stringent safety measures in place as part of our enhanced company operational procedures, and as such it should be appreciated that some key processes and procedures critical to productivity and progress have naturally been greatly impacted by the ongoing global pandemic that continues to govern how we can conduct our day-to-day operations with safety at the forefront of every action taken.

“The unrelenting enthusiasm and dedication of all involved, at every critical stage really does deserve recognition, and as always we remain grateful for the patience of the neighbouring residents, many of whom find themselves spending more time at home than they would normally expect to do, and are watching the development emerge out of the ground with a far keener interest than time would usually have allowed them to do, and mindful of this we shall continue to endeavour to build in the most considerate of manners possible to minimise disruption and inconvenience.”

Addressing the many challenges faced and overcome at this time, Martin added: "Undoubtedly it has been close communications and the strength of relations established between all parties throughout the planning, design and construction process that has been integral to progressing the site, enabling the team to work collaboratively to navigate their way through such difficulties and overcome the many hurdles placed before us, and which could have threatened essential progress, particularly with the local authority given the huge challenges Covid-19 has placed upon their already pressurised resources.

"They have worked closely with us and we are most grateful for this."

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