Shops, a drive-thru and business units could be built on the site of a former factory which was demolished almost a decade ago.

A pair of mid-range hotels - potentially an Ibis and a Hampton by Hilton - had been earmarked for the so-called 'Folkestone Gateway' development at the former Silver Spring soft drinks factory on the Park Farm industrial estate in Folkestone.

The proposals were unveiled in 2018, but plans for the two new hotels close to the Channel Tunnel terminal have been scrapped after the Covid pandemic blew a hole in the business case.

Landowner Channex Project Management, which acquired the site from previous developers Ravensbourne Investments, is now proposing to redevelop the land with a mix of retail, food and business units.

Alistair Ingram, an associate director at Savills, which represents Channex, said: "The previous hotel scheme did not progress as a result of changes to the market, and commercial viability of that scheme, including as a result of the Covid pandemic.

"The current application was then formulated in order to provide a high quality, sustainable and deliverable scheme on this vacant site.

"The planning statement sets out the wide range of benefits it will have for Folkestone and the district, in particular the creation of new retail and employment floorspace and associated new jobs."

Plans submitted to Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) show the north of the site consisting of four retail units arranged in a row fronting onto car parking and a drive-thru restaurant.

To the south there would then be a number of units for businesses. At this stage the identities of potential occupants are not yet known.

The site was vacated by the Silver Spring Mineral Water Company after production ceased about a decade ago, and the factory buildings were subsequently demolished.

Previous plans for two hotels were drawn up, which were to be supplemented by the likes of food and drink firms Costa Coffee and KFC.

The latest design and access statement, drawn up by architects Corstorphine & Wright, says the new plans "aim to regenerate an underused environment into a productive and vibrant area of the town".

It concludes: "The regeneration of this site into an appropriate mix of employment uses, type and density is a positive outcome. In addition, a boost to the local economy by creating additional employment is another invaluable benefit."

In April, plans for 30 industrial units on land south of Barnfield Road - proposed by developers not involved with the proposals for the main Silver Spring site to the north - were approved by FHDC councillors.