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Folkestone's beach hut regeneration project continues along promenade
06:00, 25 September 2020
updated: 13:30, 25 September 2020
Forty beach huts have been torn down as work continues to overhaul Folkestone seafront.
A further four will be be demolished next week as part of the council's plans to rejuvenate the coastline between Folkestone and Sandgate.
Pictures show empty space where the former huts used to sit, while others are surrounded by scaffolding.
Signs on the metal railings which cordon off the colourful chalets apologise to beach goers for any inconvenience while others warn of "demolition in progress".
Other chalets have been gutted, waiting for repairs, while others seem intact, with padlocks on their doors.
The work is being undertaken by contractors on behalf of the chalets' landlords - the Folkestone Parks and Pleasure Grounds charity, which is made up of members of Folkestone and Hythe District Council’s (FHDC) cabinet.
The scheme includes installing 80 new wooden huts, due to arrive on site from next week.
Renovations will be made to the 35 huts which will remain on the promenade, both internally and externally.
Work is also being carried out in the surrounding area to improve retaining walls and repair ramps and steps, close to the Lower Leas Coastal Park.
The scheme was first proposed in 2019 - with a price tag of half a million pounds - and work started in June this year.
The council says they have a waiting list of people to lease a hut once the development is complete, and is expecting to see a return of more than £2m over the next 25 years through chalet rental costs.
A FHDC spokewoman said: “Forty of the 44 beach huts due to be demolished have been removed to date.
"The final four should be gone by the end of next week.
"The new beach chalets are due to arrive next week and will start going up.
"Together with the necessary infrastructure work in the area, it is expected that this will take four weeks.
"Refurbishment of the first 27 beach huts at the Sandgate end is progressing well and once this is completed work will begin refurbishing the eight tiered chalets near the Mermaid Café.
"These are the ones which will have the sedum green roofs.
"We know that there is a lot of interest in this project judging by the number of people who have stopped to see what is happening and we are very much looking forward to the improvement that the refurbishment and replacement will bring to this area of the seafront."
To read why so many people rent and own one of Kent's many beach huts, click here
