A developer has defended his plans for an eco-friendly block of flats - as some residents fear it is "too much for our little town".

Proposals have been lodged to construct the five-storey building with eye-catching “living walls” on a site in West Cliff Gardens in Folkestone town centre.

But the ambitious designs have worried some locals who fear it will “ruin the area”.

The block of four apartments will feature “vertical planting” in an attempt to complement the wooded landscape of the nearby Church of St Mary & St Eanswythe.

The developer, Francesco Conte, says he wants to build something on the brownfield site that reflects the “vibrant, creative up-and-coming town”.

The flats will have their own air-source heat pumps, high insulation levels, triple-glazed windows and solar panels.

Mr Conte, director of Green Box Creative, says now is the time to build responsibly, with environmental considerations becoming “increasingly critical”.

He says the eco-friendly measures will also result in lower energy bills for occupants.

“So often in the past, developments are characterised by minimum creative effort, often resulting in generic totalitarian buildings,” Mr Conte said.

“This approach typically prioritises cost-cutting and expediency over aesthetics, sustainability, and functionality, leading to buildings that are not energy efficient or environmentally sustainable and that can impact the urban landscape and environment.”

He says the solar panel system “will be designed with battery storage to account for 70% of the energy usage for each flat”.

Mr Conte says the living walls improve air quality by filtering pollutants, as well as creating habitats for various plant species, insects and birds, “promoting urban biodiversity”.

He added: “As we become more aware of climate change and the government tightens on regulatory compliance, there will be a growing demand for sustainable living and working spaces.”

However, residents who spoke to KentOnline were unsure about the plans.

Rosemary Southon, 65, who’s lived in the town for 42 years, said: "I'm not happy with the height; it’s too much for our little town.

“What about privacy for residents who will now be overlooked by this?

“More should go towards maintaining older buildings over adding new-builds.”

Peter Jackson, 67, regularly visits Folkestone and agrees that more should be done to preserve the town’s history.

He said: “I think it will ruin the area. It’ll be surrounded by Victorian buildings that should be listed.

“Folkestone is a really pleasant town, but it does seem that developers are allowed to go to the extreme with the amount being built.

“There’s a lot of history in here, and more should go towards celebrating it.”

Paul Eldridge, 58, who moved to Folkestone during lockdown, said: “Who will be able to afford these flats once they're built?

“It’s a small space with much congestion, and there’s already pressure on the town’s amenities.

“Could they become holiday lets? I’d see the appeal, but it would mean they still remain empty.”

Planning was previously granted for three flats on the site in 2021 but it was then sold two years later to Green Box Creative.