Visions of what could become of the former Gasworks site in Folkestone are to go on show.

Ideas for the possible future of the abandoned but historically important site have been drawn up by schoolchildren, artists and architects.

The proposals have been put together for an exhibition, which is to be displayed across three separate sites in the town.

Suggested ideas released ahead of the shows include building walkways over the open space, having a children's play area or placing a ship on the land to be explored.

The history of the site, which sits on the corner of Ship Street and Foorde Road, will also be detailed at the exhibitions.

Art charity Creative Folkestone is behind the scheme, along with Pioneering Places East Kent - aimed at making East Kent an even better place to live, work and visit by exploring heritage, developing civic pride and connecting artists and communities.

Pupils from Christ Church, Stella Maris, Mundella and St Mary’s primary schools, all in Folkestone, architecture students from Oxford Brooks University and designers from architecture, landscape and urban design practice East have all worked on proposals.

A film documenting the progress will also be included in the show.

Alastair Upton, chief executive of Creative Folkestone said: "This exhibition, in three distinct parts, and all the work we have been doing with pupils and their teachers from four local schools, will offer a vision of what is possible in the Gasworks site.

"Local residents, artists, architects, historians and policy makers are re-imagining this abandoned and historically important site on Ship Street, and proposing a new way of contributing to the built environment and creating communities.”

The Folkestone Gas Company was founded by Ralph Thomas Brockman in 1842. In the same year the gasworks was built on the seafront, where Marine Crescent sits today.

It moved to the bigger site off Foorde Road in 1888 and went through many changes over the years.

It was demolished in the 1960s.

The empty land, now owned by National Grid and SGN, was used in the 2014 Triennial for an art space.

The free exhibition, titled The History and Possible Futures of Folkestone Gasworks, will be held from Thursday, June 27 to Sunday, July 21 at the three locations.

They are:

• Folkestone Museum (Guildhall Street). Launch event: Thursday, June 27 6pm-8pm. Then open June 28-July 21 Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm. This will tell the story of Foord, from rural village to the railway and industrialisation, with much of the content contributed by residents

• Sunflower House (Forde Road). Launch event: Saturday, June 29 1pm-4pm. Then open June 29-July 21 Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 1pm-4pm and Saturday and Sunday 12pm-4pm. Here visitors will find a range of carefully researched proposals by EAST Architects and proposals from school children. A special walk and talk event through the Gasworks will be held on July 16 3.30pm-5.30pm and on July 20 2pm-4pm.

• Urban Room Folkestone (Tram Road car park). Open July 10-21 Wednesday-Sunday 11am-3pm. Here there will be there will be proposals for the site by university architecture students

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