Folkestone and Hythe Council

In brief

Folkestone and Hythe is a local government district in Kent, England, in the south-east of the county. Its council is based in the town of Folkestone. The authority was renamed from Shepway in April 2018, and therefore has the same name as the Folkestone and Hythe parliamentary constituency, although a somewhat narrower area is covered by the district.

Most of the population live in the coastal towns of Folkestone and Hythe. The north of the district mainly consists of landscape villages interspersed with woods along parts of the North Downs, while the south features a coastal expanse of lower lying, periodically reclaimed villages in less forested Romney Marsh, which has a number of communities extensively built in the medieval period and 17th century as centres of the Romney Marsh wool trade. The district’s economy is influenced by the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and the M20 motorway, while the tourism and allied retail sectors provide key sources of employment.

What to expect

Housing Delivery Test

Action Plan Authority within the 2021 Housing Delivery Test.

Up-To-Date Local Plan

The adopted Development Plan for Folkestone & Hythe District comprises the Shepway Core Strategy Local Plan (2013) and the Places and Policies Local Plan (2020), along with The St Mary in the Marsh Neighbourhood Plan (2019); and the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan (2016).

Customer Service

Customer service at Folkestone and Hythe is non-existent with little to no communication between the planning officer and the applicant.

Decision Making Behaviour

Decision making behaviour is also inconsistent with established practice. No site visits appear to be carried out by planning officers leading applicants to provide more than the required information on applications.

Article 4 Directions

In this area Article 4 is limited to the conservation areas only.

Nitrate Effected Areas

Stour Valley

Last Decision’s

• Adams Barbers 15 Guildhall Street Folkestone. Conversion of rear ground and basement level to form one dwelling.