A furious developer has branded a council “short-sighted” and “afraid of change” after his plans for an eco-friendly block of flats were refused.

Proposals were lodged earlier this year to construct the five-storey building with eye-catching ‘living walls’ on a site in West Cliff Gardens, in Folkestone town centre.

But planning officers at Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) rejected Green Box Creative’s scheme, claiming it would result in an “incongruous, dominant and unsympathetic development”.

The firm's director, Francesco Conte, says he is disappointed to see the scheme thrown out, and is now planning to re-submit amended plans.

He told KentOnline: “Folkestone planning authority has shown its short-sightedness, objecting to modern and eco-friendly schemes such as ours due to adherence to traditional aesthetics.

“It’s a fear of change to resist innovation due to concerns over maintaining the character of West Cliff Gardens, pushback from residents, or perceived risks associated with the new technologies and design of the scheme.

“This resistance can hinder progress toward sustainable development as modern schemes are crucial in addressing environmental challenges and may inadvertently contribute to the long-term detriment of both the environment and the community's resilience to future challenges.”

He added that he remains “passionate” about the scheme and is determined to “see it to fruition”.

In total, four flats were planned for the five-storey building, which was to have its own air-source heat pumps, high insulation levels, triple-glazed windows and solar panels.

The ambitious designs, set to replace a small car park, also featured vertical planting to complement the wooded landscape of the nearby Church of St Mary & St Eanswythe.

These ‘living walls’ would improve air quality by filtering pollutants and creating habitats for various plant species, insects, and birds, promoting urban biodiversity.

The planning application had attracted 14 objections, submitted to FHDC, and no letters of support.

However, planning officers remained unconvinced by the development, echoing residents' previous concerns over the design, scale and sustainability.

While it was noted that the brownfield site in the town centre was ripe for redevelopment, the contemporary approach of the submitted scheme would be at odds with the well-defined character of the current street scene.

It was also noted that the project's small contribution to housing figures did not outweigh the harm to the surrounding conservation area and listed buildings.

The officer’s report added: “Regarding the design of the proposed new building, whilst well-designed contemporary buildings can sit comfortably juxtaposed with historic buildings, the proposed design would introduce materials that are out of context for the area.

“The proposed replacement building, by virtue of its size, scale, design, materials and size of the openings, would not be in keeping with the inherent character of the street scene, resulting in an incongruous, dominant and unsympathetic development, which would be detrimental to the visual character and appearance of the street scene.

“The proposal to utilise vertical planting is considered unlikely to be successful and would appear inconsistent, and the overall scale would dominate views up and down the street.

“Considering the above, it is considered the proposal is an unsustainable development that would not comply with development plan policy and is therefore recommended for refusal.”

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Mr Conte added that Greenbox Creative Ltd and Profile Architects are not set to appeal the decision – instead, they will work with FHDC’s planning department on an amended scheme to address the refusal points.