The pretty little UK seaside town bracing for huge new £119m development double its size
The huge new garden town is set to be the first of its kind in Kent and one of the "largest in the country".
An unspoilt seaside town nestled among sprawling green spaces and long-stretches of coastline is on the cusp of major change. Hythe, the sister town to Folkestone, in Kent, is preparing for large areas of countryside to be developed into a brand new town twice its size.
Otterpool Park has been on the cards since 2016 with numerous consultations going ahead. At first it was supposed to bring around 12,000 homes to the south east corner of the country. But the first phase, which gained planning permission last year, will see 8,500 homes spring up in its first phase.
The £119m initial spend on council-grabbed land is set to include its own primary and secondary schools, a town centre, an upgraded station on the high speed route into London and health centres.
Until the start of the 20th century, Hythe was a small fishing village. However, the charming town’s appeal could soon be disrupted by a large new development.
Otterpool Park, a huge garden town is set to be the first of its kind in Kent and one of the "largest in the country" and will be twice the size of Hythe.
The garden town will be positioned in the heart of the Kent countryside, just south of the M20, near Folkestone and only a few miles from the commuter belt town of Ashford.
Otterpool Park is surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its design is inspired by the local landscape.
In 2023 the first 8,500 homes at the former Folkestone Racecourse site near Sellindge were approved by Folkestone & Hythe District Council.
Developers said the scheme, which includes 1,870 affordable homes and up to seven primary schools, will "meet housing demand for a generation". As well as up to seven primary schools, up to two secondary schools are also proposed to be built under the plans.
Developers said the project will "enable and encourage healthy, active lifestyles", with approximately half of the site allocated for green spaces, including parks, cycling and walking routes.
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Last year the council revealed the £119m originally earmarked to build Otterpool Park and its associated infrastructure is now insufficient.
Otterpool Park LLP, the company slated to run the development, is wholly owned and funded by the local authority. The firm has previously requested the council make an extra £80m of borrowing available for the project.
In April 2017, hundreds of people marched in protest at the proposal amid concerns from opponents about the impact of the scheme locally.
Otterpool resident Vernon Morris added: "They are destroying the countryside for our children."
