Striking new images show just how dramatically a seaside town will change if a multimillionaire's vision becomes a reality.

Sir Roger De Haan’s plans for Folkestone harbour have previously been compared to something out of the Flintstones amid what he described as a “brutal” backlash.

Use the slider tool on the image above to see the changes planned for the harbour

The ambitious proposals - put forward by the former Saga boss’s development company - have since been revised, with the height of some of the towers lowered and the colour of some buildings changed from brown to white.

But despite the adjustments, computer-generated images within new planning documents reveal it will still be a stark transformation of Folkestone harbour arm - a tourist hotspot.

One critic yesterday described the designs - which will now be decided on by councillors after a consultation period - as “over-densified” and “lacking respect” for the town's heritage.

The buildings will be constructed on the car park of the hugely popular harbour arm.

They are part of a wider masterplan for up to 1,000 new homes and 10,000 sq m of commercial space which was given outline planning consent nine years ago.

Under the Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company’s (FHSDC) revised proposals, the overall built area has been reduced by approximately 20% and the number of green spaces has been increased.

The new papers submitted by architects working for FHSDC include several artist’s impressions from previously unseen angles.

One, as imagined from near the Grand Burstin Hotel, shows at least 10 new high-rises in the harbour, where there are currently none.

These new buildings will be used for “residential and commercial” purposes, according to the masterplan.

Other CGIs, from the viewpoint of Sunny Sands and the top of East Cliff, highlight the huge difference in how the seafront will look once work is complete.

At the harbour yesterday, KentOnline spoke to Judith and Colin Ithurralde, who live in Darlington and visit Folkestone multiple times each year.

They say they enjoy the “charm” of the seaside town - but after seeing the new designs, the couple doubted whether it would be right for the area.

Mr Ithurralde said: “I think the harbour is beautiful as it is.

“We really enjoy our walks down here when you come to visit and looking at these designs I think it is going to take some of the charm away from the harbour. It would be a shame to see.”

Sir Roger, chairman of FHSDC, has invested millions of pounds in regenerating Folkestone - and this year the town was named by The Sunday Times as the best place to live in the south east.

The philanthropist sold the Saga Group - founded by his father Sidney - for £1.35 billion in 2004 and later that year bought Folkestone harbour for a reported £11 million.

He features on The Sunday Times Rich List, which says he and his brother Peter are jointly worth £825 million.

Sir Roger previously said: “Our plans will enhance the current spaces that have already transformed the vibrancy of the area, and create an exciting legacy project that will provide a year-round offering and a major boost to the local economy.”

The revised plans include a new seafront park, an “increased public realm” with wider streets and lanes - and a new panoramic rooftop viewing platform.

Duarte Lobo Antunes, who is one of the lead architects, said: “Our overall aim is to produce a scheme that is of huge benefit to the town of Folkestone and for those that live and work here.”

A series of public consultation events were held in the spring and summer of 2023 to reveal the original designs for the harbour.

After listening to the feedback, modifications have been made to the final proposals before submission to Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC).

But Mark Hourahane, vice-chairman of the New Folkestone Society, this week said: “The visual comparison you showed me from the Lower Sandgate Road junction illustrates the over-densification of this project.

“It is on the viaduct that you can truly get a sense of how dominant the proposals are.

“This scheme is completely alien anywhere in Folkestone, but especially on the historic harbour.

“It does nothing to respect the heritage of the area, instead choosing to dominate it, obliterating its significance.”

When the original designs for the harbour were made public last year, they were ridiculed as “heroically ugly” – and compared to doner kebabs and even piles of poo.

Sir Roger later described the backlash as “brutal” but insisted he believed the scheme would still be a success.

FHSDC describes the new harbour arm proposals as having a “lighter colour palette”.

The masterplan also includes the Shoreline Crescent flats on the beach which are now completed, with homes on sale for prices ranging from £430,000 to £2.1million.

The company also points out how, unlike with most residential developments, “improvements to the public realm” along the seafront have been completed before all the new homes have been built.

Finished projects to date include restoring and enhancing the harbour arm, which has been a key part of the town’s resurgence in recent years.

Up to £3.7 million will be given by FHSDC to support primary schools and education in the town, along with up to £1.3 million to invest in new local GP, health and social care provision in the area.

In addition, more than £925,000 has been allocated to the restoration and ongoing operations of the Leas Lift.

Since the new documents were added to the council’s planning portal, more residents have been expressing their views.

One person wrote: “Whilst I support the regeneration of our town, the plans put forward are excessive.

“The harbour will become a ghost town - nowhere to park, natural views obscured by high-rise blocks and minimal places to eat and drink.”

But another added: “I wholeheartedly support this transformation of formerly semi-derelict wasteland.

“The quality of the development so far is fantastic. This can only be to the good of Folkestone's image and help to further local prosperity.”

A date has not yet been set for the revised proposals to be considered by the district council’s planning committee.

FHSDC this week told KentOnline the designs are now more “uniform”, the colour palette has been “refined” and the facades “simplified”.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

A spokesperson added: “The Goods Yard is substantially more open on the ground floor with significant glazed frontages and additional entrances, both from Makers' Row and from the harbour station.”