How the Place Plan was developed

Previous webinars

Two public webinars were held (in April and June 2021) and the level of engagement we received during both sessions was great.

Both webinars were recorded and you can view both the April and June 2021 webinars on our YouTube channel or by clicking the videos below.

Commissioned by us. Designed by all.

A place plan is a blueprint for how an area will evolve and we want to get everyone involved in designing what Folkestone Town Centre should look like in the future. There will be an opportunity for all to comment on the draft version of the Place Plan once this is developed. 

After input from experts and a thorough engagement process with the community output documents will be produced that will guide the direction of Folkestone Town Centre for years to come. Doing this work now will mean that Folkestone Town Centre can maximise it's potential in the future benefitting residents, businesses and the wider district.

Stakeholder engagement update 

The engagement process for the Folkestone Town Centre Place Plan makes a commitment to listening to the full spectrum of Folkestone's communities.

We Made That held a series of focused workshops and one-to-one conversations over February and March. The team spoke to strategic & delivery partners, key stakeholders, community & interest groups, business groups and residents groups. The presentations and notes from the workshops are available in the Downloads section.

Virtual events

We held two virtual public events (April and June 2021) to provide everyone with a chance to share the emerging priorities and vision for discussion.  266 people tuned in live and 322 questions were asked across both webinars. Find answers to the Frequently Asked Questions about the Place Plan project here. 

If you couldn't make it don't worry because this session was recorded and you can watch the webinar on our YouTube channel. You can view the presentation slides from the webinar which include an overview of work to date and proposals for town centre interventions. 

We asked for comments on the proposals, such as do you like the idea of public square at Bouverie Place or more cycling links in the town centre? A survey gathering responses to help us shape future work on the Place Plan and what Folkestone Town Centre could look like in the future was run in early May 2021.

Making it happen

It all started with getting the right expertise and we went out to tender at the end of 2020 to find an experienced partner who could lead on the project.

Architecture and urbanism firm We Made That impressed with their strong track record of promoting positive change in town centres. They'll head the design team for the project and be the overall lead firm. They are also going to lead on engagement and are bursting with innovative ideas to engage our communities - something that is so important for this project.

On top of this We Made That has brought together expert businesses in different fields to bring their specific skills to the project:

  • Architects Fletcher Priest will advise on the architecture of specific opportunity sites
  • Transport and infrastructure consultants Steer will look into town centre access
  • Socio-economic analysts PRD will advise on economy and town centre business opportunities
  • The Night Times Industry Association will provide support to review the existing licensing policy

These experts worked with us, residents, businesses and the wider community to find out what makes Folkestone Town Centre tick and what needed to be done. Folkestone Town Centre has so much potential and we are keen to build on previous investment in the town and its natural strengths to create the best possible evolution of Folkestone

 

Folkestone place plan image