Planning and Licensing Committee - Tuesday 19 May 2026, 7:00pm - Folkestone & Hythe webcasting

Planning and Licensing Committee
Tuesday, 19th May 2026 at 7:00pm 

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  1. Cllr Jackie Meade
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  169. Cllr Jackie Meade
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Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:00:00
Planning and Licencing Committee.
This meeting will be webcast live to the internet.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:00:05
For those who do not wish to be recorded or filmed,
you will need to leave the chamber.
For members, officers, and others speaking at the meeting,
it is important that the microphones are used
so that viewers on the webcast
and others in the room may hear you.
Would anyone with a mobile phone please switch it to silent
as they can be distracting.
I would like to remind members
that although we all have strong opinions on matters under consideration, it is important
to treat members, officers and public speakers with respect.
So members, as chair of the committee, I would like to make a statement for the benefit of
all councillors present at this meeting and for members of the public. The applications
before you, and indeed any applications you may consider in the future, must be considered
on planning merits only.
It is essential that members adhere to this principle
and ensure that their decisions tonight
are based on the papers before you
and any information provided to you during this meeting.
This is not the forum to discuss any ancillary issues
relating to the planning applications before you.
Thank you.
So we will move on.
Do we have apologies for absence, please?
FHDC Officer - 0:01:18
Thank you, Chair.
Yes, we've received apologies from Councillor Cooper
and we have Councillor Walker here as his substitute.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:01:25
Thank you, welcome Councillor Walker, and I'd like to welcome Councillor Jones as my
Vice Chair.
So moving on, do we have any declarations of interest on the applications please, Councillors?
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:01:41
And I am seeing no declarations of interest.

2 Declarations of Interest

3 Minutes

So moving on, you have before you the minutes of the meeting held on the 14th of April 2026.
May I sign these as a correct record please?
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:02:00
Thank you very much. And you also have the minutes of the Licencing Act subcommittee

4 Minutes of the Licensing Act Sub-Committee

for the meeting held on 2 April 2026.
Again, may I sign this as a correct record please?
Thank you very much.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:02:15
Now, as you know, the first application this evening, which was Sandibanks,
has been deferred but will be coming back to us at a later date.
So we have one application this evening,

6 26/0449/FH/PA - Folca, 48-66 Sandgate Road, Folkestone, CT20 1DW

which is 26 -0449 -FH -PH, which is Foulker, 48 -66 Sandgate Road in Folkestone.
Do we have any updates, please?
Folkestone & Hythe Officer - 0:02:42
Good evening, Members. There's no updates on this application. Thank you.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:02:48
Thank you very much. And we have one speaker this evening on this application.
Alistair Cross, if you'd like to come forward, you will have three minutes from when you
start, sir.
Microphone Forty - 0:03:09
Microphone Forty - 0:03:10
Hello, everyone.
My name is Alistair Cross.
I'm the design director at Artvelop, the applicant for FOCA 1.
This proposal fully complies with the requirements of class and may permit development as a lawful
classy commercial building for the following reasons the building is not
subject to article 4 restrictions is not listed and not located within a
conservation area all proposed homes meet or exceed the nationally described
space standards adequate natural lights provided to all habitable rooms there
are no unacceptable transport highways impacts the site is located within flood
zone one representing a low flood risk the scheme retains an active ground
floor commercial frontage.
The site occupies a highly sustainable town centre
location, close to transport and local amenities.
There is no external alterations required
to facilitate the conversion.
Beyond simply complying with the technical requirements
of Class MA, the scheme represents a much wider vision,
one of which aligns closely with Artvelop's approach
as an architect developer.
Artvelop is a multi -award winning architect developer
with a strong record of restoring and repurposing
vacant buildings, especially on the high street,
particularly heritage and non -designated heritage assets
in places where people generally want to live.
FOCA represents a significant opportunity
to sense sense sense -satively regenerate
an important landmark building for the future of FOCA
and town centre while adapting it
for a high quality modern town living.
Not through demolition or overdevelopment,
but through careful and sensitive regeneration.
More importantly, active ground floor commercial frontage
is retained, ensuring the building continues
to contribute positively to the vitality and activity of Sandgate Road and the wider connexion
towards the emerging Bovea Square regeneration area.
The scheme also has been designed responsibly and pragmatically, creating a range of well -designed
homes within the existing building envelope while making an efficient and sustainable
use of a long vacant town centre building.
Set out within the application, Artvelop intends to follow this application with a full planning
application for a wider architectural enhancement, helping return the building to its prominence
once held within the town centre.
This proposal provides a realistic, deliverable, viable and policy compliant route to bringing
the landmark vacant building back into active use while positively supporting the wider
regeneration ambitions of folks in the town centre.
We therefore respectfully ask that the committee support the application and grant prior approval.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:05:46
So, Committee, before we go
forward to discuss this, I'd just like to point out for the public
that this is FOLKA 1 that we're
discussing this evening, which is the old Edwardian fronted
building, because I've seen a lot of talk, shall we say, on social media.
And I'd just like to assure the public
when we're talking about this, that Foulker 2,
which is the younger part of the building,
is still going forward and there's still discussions
regarding the GP centre, which I know is a very hot topic.
So I just wanted to make that definition for the public
before we start discussing.
So, councillors, over to you.
Councillor King.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:06:32
Yeah, thanks, that Chair.
I've read this a couple of times now
Cllr Nicola Keen - 0:06:38
and I'm a little bit concerned that we're saying
there's no issues with, there's no car parking,
and I understand that under the legislation
there doesn't have to be.
Unless I heard the gentleman incorrectly,
he said there's no issues with transport.
Can you tell us what transport?
Because the transport in this town, public transport,
unless you're going up to London
or on the mainline trains, is terrible.
So how are people going to go to work
when there's no car parking so they can't have their cars there in the
centre of town there are issues with transport in Folkestone. We've got no busses,
the trains are on the main line so if you don't work in a main line town
how are you getting to work with nowhere to put your car? This to me is ridiculous and I will be voting against it.
Thank you Councillor Keel. Would any of the officers like to come back regarding parking regulations?
Thank you. So in terms of parking, that would come under the class MA matter of transport
impacts which includes access servicing and effects on the local highway. The site is
in a highly sustainable location in the town centre. It is close to means of accessing
other modes of transport.
The site is within controlled parking zone A1
Folkestone & Hythe Officer - 0:08:12
in the town centre, which means that residents
would be able to apply for parking permits
if they wanted to.
The proposal has been assessed against the council's
adopted parking standards, and for the maximum
parking standards for units of this size
in the town centre would be one space per unit.
However, in town centre locations,
where there are on -street parking controls,
then a reduced or nil provision is encouraged
in our planning policy in order to support
the demand management and most efficient use of the land.
This is set out in KCC's IGN3 parking standards
and also policy T2 of the local plan.
It's also worth noting that there are 23 bedrooms proposed in this development and 32 cycle parking spaces are proposed,
which is well in excess of the minimum standards.
And the applicant has also submitted a travel plan within their transport assessment,
which looks to promote other means of transport here.
Is there any other question?
Councillor Sheehan?
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:09:25
Thank you.
Cllr Rebecca Shoob - 0:09:29
I was actually really pleased to see
that the cycle parking provision is over and above
the one per bedroom.
And I mean, you couldn't get much more of a central location
and obviously you've got the busses just around the corner.
So I am very, I'd be very happy to propose
is that we go with the officer's recommendations.
Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Shoop.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:10:01
Councillor Goddard is seconded.
Sorry, Councillor Thomas to speak first,
but if you're happy to second, thank you.
Councillor Thomas.
Yeah, thank you, I was happy to second it as well.
Cllr Paul Thomas - 0:10:14
So I just look at the consultation,
121 letters sent out, one letter of support,
which was quite comprehensive.
I think that to me, the thing which comes through
in terms of the building itself,
the comment which really struck me
was respectful to the building's heritage,
and I think that's so strong in the town centre,
the fact that heritage is such an important part of Folkestone.
Folkestone Town Council had no objection,
so I'm happy to support this officer's recommendation as well.
Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Johns.
Councillor Goddard.
Thank you, Chair. Good evening.
Yeah, Councillor Shue mentioned,
Cllr Clive Goddard - 0:10:53
I think mention the 32 cycle spaces.
You know, I was quite impressed with that.
You could have a mini tour de Folkston,
instead of a mini tour de France,
soon these are tour de France.
But like Councillor Thomas, I was gonna pick up
on the 121 letters and one of support.
I don't think we've ever seen that,
of so many letters being sent out
and only one coming back and in support of it.
So that's excellent.
But 17 flats, I do get my learning friend on the right
about the no parking, obviously all the flats we build in Fosse at the moment, you don't
need the parking because it's central, etc, etc.
And we always feel, well, people do have vehicles, but you know, allegedly there is excellent
links and busses and trains and hovercrafts and you name it, we've got it.
But no, I like the 17 flats and it is, and like the agent says, the architect is the
business when it comes to these sort of designs and these sort of buildings and so happy to
support and I think 17 flats there, ideal and hopefully there won't be the parking issue.
They'll all get a push bike and jolly on around on their push bikes.
So more than happy to support.
Thank you Councillor Goddard.
Councillor Lockwood.
Thank you Chair and welcome Councillor Jones into the Vice Chair position if I may.
Cllr Adrian Lockwood - 0:12:14
Yes, I think it's worth just saying at this point as well, the Council, as you said, the
Council owns this building and they've gone to great pains over a number of years, I think,
trying to find a plan and a use and different schemes have been put forward, business plans
and all manner of avenues are explored. And it came to the point where, you know, the
had to go onto the market and I think we were all just secretly hoping that somebody would
come along with a scheme that kept commercial on the ground floor and put some flats on
the floors above and here we are. So in that respect I think we've been quite fortunate
in some respects and I would just end by saying what I think everybody on this committee is
expecting me to say, which is that we need more homes.
So I will support this.
Thank you, Councillor Lockwood.
Councillor Hinesby.
Thank you, Chair.
Well, I'd just like to support what the majority of people
Cllr Jennifer Hollingsbee - 0:13:21
have said this evening.
I think it's about time that we had some life
in that building.
It will make a difference to the town.
There is no doubt about it.
And I really welcome it.
And I think 17 properties or 17 places for people locally,
hopefully it will be locally to have,
is really incredible, particularly in the location.
Because they may not, they probably will not have a car,
but they will be able to move around different places.
And I think obviously with the bicycle as well,
But in terms of the railway station, in terms of the busses, in terms of walking, you know,
being able to walk most places.
So it's just excellent and I welcome it and hope it's completed very soon.
Thank you, Councillor Hinsby.
Councillor Walker.
Thank you, Chair.
Cllr Belinda Walker - 0:14:29
It's nice to see that the units are not minimums down, but slightly above, which is something
I was quite impressed with.
I just wondered with the bike stands,
is there any room there for motorbikes
for people who want to have a motorbike
kind of compromised between the bike and a car?
Folkestone & Hythe Officer - 0:14:47
I mean, the bike storage is on the ground floor,
so I guess that might make it a bit more tricky,
but we're basically looking at the use here of the flat.
that's not sort of the specific details of those spaces.
So, I'm not saying that it couldn't happen,
but yeah, it's an internal bike store.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:15:17
Thank you, Councillor Polybake.
Thank you, Chair.
Cllr Polly Blakemore - 0:15:22
I just wanted to draw attention to Power Graph 4 .17,
where there's mention of the applicant's
residential travel plan,
where they really are going full out
to promote walking, cycling and public transport,
even extending to the appointment
of a travel plan coordinator.
And I don't think we've ever seen that come through
in a report before, so there is some real commitment there.
Councillor Fuller.
Thank you, Chair.
Yeah, I mean, given that it was always
Cllr Gary Fuller - 0:15:52
a sort of gain of possibility
that having divested ourselves for that part
of the building that it can end up knocked down
and turned into an ultra -modern block of flats
that would be probably much more dense,
much greater traffic issues than I,
for want of a better phrase, we've got off lightly,
as it were.
I do, I do agree with Councillor Keane
that we could certainly do with a better bus service
round here, I haven't used,
having commuted to Canterbury for 10 years,
but I did actually, as, you know, during part of that time,
I actually live round the corner
above what is now Pickwicks,
and it is actually quite a good location for getting the bus or getting the train if you don't have a car,
which I didn't at the time.
So I find it difficult to oppose this, to be honest, so I'll be voting in support.
Thank you, Councillor Mike Blyton -Wong.
It's all been said, really. I think we should, as other councillors said,
Cllr Mike Blakemore - 0:16:48
be promoting active travel and not car ownership in a town centre location.
and I think it's also marvellous to see an old building restored to its former glory
is the phrase that's been bandied around quite a lot.
I think we're very fortunate to have this and I'm fully supported on it.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:17:10
Thank you. I'm not seeing any other Councillor wishing to speak.
So we have one proposal in the seconder to accept the officer's recommendations
regarding this particular application.
So all those in favour, please raise your hand.
Thank you.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:17:30
All those against.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:17:36
And that means no one to abstain.
Thank you, chairs.
FHDC Officer - 0:17:40
That's 11 in favour and one against.
Thank you.
So that application has passed.
Cllr Jackie Meade - 0:17:44
And this evening, I know it's been a quick one, so thank you so much for coming in.
but I think it was definitely worth the discussion
on that application.
So, safe journeys home,
and let's hope the weather improves for the blank holiday.
Take care.