Otterpool Park: Plans for 8,500-home garden town get approval

Plans for a "garden town" in the Kent countryside have been given outline approval at a council meeting.

Folkestone & Hythe District Council gave permission on Tuesday evening for infrastructure work to begin on the 8,500-home plan at Otterpool Park.

Developers said the scheme, which includes 1,870 affordable homes and up to seven primary schools, will "meet housing demand for a generation".

The garden town is set to be bigger than nearby Hythe.

As well as up to seven primary schools, up to two secondary schools are also proposed to be built under the plans.

In addition, a new town centre, shops, health centres, places of worship and community centres have also been promised.

The planning vote was carried seven votes for, with five voting against.

Developers said the project will "enable and encourage healthy, active lifestyles", with approximately half of the site allocated for green spaces, including parks, cycling and walking routes.

Measures aimed at limiting the environmental impact include setting up electric vehicle charging points and boosting nature biodiversity by 20%, developers say.

A council spokesperson said: "The creation of a well-designed new garden town at Otterpool Park, with all the necessary infrastructure, will fulfil the housebuilding requirements for the district for the next decade."

In a tweet, Folkestone MP Damian Collins, who spoke in favour of the development, said it will "create thousands of jobs and homes for our district".

In April 2017, hundreds of people marched in protest at the proposal amid concerns from opponents about the impact of the scheme locally and about the consultation process.

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