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• NonNIMBY wrote:

  24/01/2025 19:19

  It is preposterous to that think De Haan does this to enrich himself even more when he is a billionnaire. Once you reach a certain point of wealth (the bar is extremely low), money ceases to be a motivation. It is much lower down the list relative to other things, like the ability to be creative, fulfilled, help other people and provide value to humanity. The business case has to stack up, of course, but that's mainly for the other parties involved. De Haan isn't doing any of this to increase his wealth. He also clearly loves Folkestone.
  
  Roger De Haan is an absolute gift on a silver platter to Folkestone (I don't even live there but 2 hours away). It is wild that the locals don't realise how unique and rare this is. He could increase the pie of wealth and quality of life for everyone so easily, but he can't because they would like to save a few crumbling old walls and wastelands near the harbour. The answer cannot always be no.

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  +1
• GeorgeBell wrote:

  24/01/2025 11:21

  If I were De Haan, I'd give up and let Folkestone revert back to the decaying dump it was before he made massive investments in the town. I'd sell the land to the highest bidder and relax. The council can keep rejecting proposals and the harbour will become a dump full of drug addicts, homeless and people doing donuts in the car park. The old town full of pound shops and vape shops. It was like that before so it can easily happen again. I really don't know why he bothers.

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  +2
• Rebecca Gamble wrote:

  24/01/2025 11:03

  the pull of a seaside town is its relationship to the sea, and being able to gaze out onto the horizon. Putting up a concrete wall of housing that dwarfs the town, and cuts it off from that relationship is pure vandalism. Plus - aren't we heading towards an unforseen climate future, particularly as sea levels go , not to mention the corrosive elements of salt and wind - there are so many reasons not to build this here, and zero good ones, unless you count profit for developers. I'd have thought the horror of those locked into marine crescent, would be a cautionary tale.
  
  there's many ways we may rejuvenate folkestone well - and successfully. Do we have to only consider ones where roger can make a killing, or mould us all to his own dystopian 'concrete city wall on the beach that whistles and will probably look like the Burstyn but bigger' view of the world?
  
  
  thank you, councillors, for throwing this out, albeit only narrowly

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  -1
• NonNIMBY wrote:

  22/01/2025 20:25

  A major part of the reason why this country is sucks so bad and growth is so strangled has been distilled perfectly with the responses to this article. If you continue denying the upgrade and development of our public spaces, most young people won't want to visit them, or live there, so they will stay in perpetual decline. Britain and British people have a problem.

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  +1
• trevio wrote:

  22/01/2025 09:47

  Sense at last from councils

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  +14
• Yankee1 wrote:

  22/01/2025 08:06

  There is an article on Kent online only this week and in the national press that clearly states London folk are not buying up properties in the coastal towns anymore it has slowed down and is stopping because of the government's charges on second homes and tax increases. Can I suggest you speak to your advisors and any estate agents in Folkestone that are saying build them they will be a complete eyesore and lie empty unless you're going to donate them or sell them to housing associations or the council you will not be making profits on these.
  You don't need to take advice from estate agents who are desperate for business and profits you can read it in the Press these properties will not sell to your friends in London the Labour government has made sure of that.

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  +17
• Yankee1 wrote:

  22/01/2025 07:30

  This is a monstrosity and no care for the local housing lists just profit profit profit they won't sell because construction costs have put developers off again because not enough profit. This is an attempt to put a canary wharf style carbuncle in Folkestone we are not and never were a location to develop a city!! Stop this nonsense now Mr De Haan. You are wealthy enough without this you had a half decent legacy before you started all this your legacy will be the man who ruined Folkestone if you do not stop this ridiculous construction plan nonsense.
  If they were built now and standing there now they would be left empty and end up derelict and a complete blocked on the beautiful landscape and seascape. Let's see what donations are made to labour party HQ!?? Rayner cannot call this in!!?

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  +27