A former Debenhams department store which is owned by a council has seen architects appointed to “revamp” the site.

London-based CarverHaggard was selected by Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) to restore the Folca building in Folkestone.

Folca is at the heart of regeneration plans for the centre of the town - with £2,278,000 earmarked for the building’s refurbishment – as part of a huge £20m levelling up government fund.

The architects were selected from an undisclosed shortlist of rival contenders to win the commission.

CarverHaggard will now draw up “practical and cost-effective” designs, for the renewal and conversion of part of the former department store, which was purchased by FHDC in 2020.

The project aims to convert the art deco building on Sandgate Road into a new facility intended to “stimulate Folkestone town centre, attract further investment and bring new uses, subject to their viability”.

Ewan Green, director of place at Folkestone and Hythe District Council, said: “Their experience of working successfully on similar projects, with a focus on ensuring flexibility throughout the building design, will be key to the success of this project.”

A project timeline setting out when plans will be finalised has not been confirmed.

The latest project will focus on refurbishing and transforming around 4,500m² of former department store space spread across four levels.

Potential future uses include an art gallery, entertainment space, soft play, retail, employment space and a café or bar.

In February, FHDC discovered it had been awarded a £19.8 million share of government levelling-up cash to fund its plan - A Brighter Future - to breathe new life into Folkestone town centre.

The proposals would see the existing bus station in Bouverie Place relocated to make way for a public garden, and Sandgate Road itself would be given a makeover.

Debenhams - formerly Bobby’s department store - closed in Folkestone in 2020, along with stores in Thanet and Ashford.

The part of the shop on the corner of Sandgate Road and Bouverie Place was set to be torn down to make way for a new £16 million health centre.

However, a survey carried out by the New Folkestone Society last year found significant support for saving this Edwardian portion of Folca from demolition.