The Conservatives who run Folkestone & Hythe District Council will try and blame us – and those of you who delayed it through your opposition – for its failure, but don’t be fooled. Yes, soaring energy prices and recent turmoil in the economy may have been the final nails in the coffin of the Princes Parade development but it was doomed to fail long ago.
The Conservatives can’t say they weren’t warned – at the full council meeting on 30 November, Hythe Green Councillor Jim Martin, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, gave this devastating speech:
“I warned you the scheme was unviable, repeatedly: Prince’s Parade is one of the most difficult and complex sites I have ever looked at and is unviable regardless of the scheme design. It was not only me who thought that Princes Parade was beyond the development capabilities of the Council. Ten years ago I met with Councillor Tilson, Councillor Monk’s political partner, and he told me that he did not want to see the council’s hard won surplus disappear into a deep, dark hole in Princes Parade. How prophetic Councillor Tilson’s words are now as they ring true after all these years.
“I warned you the scheme was unviable, repeatedly, long before I was elected as a councillor. I sent detailed financial viability studies to all councillors which showed exactly how much money the council were going to lose if they tried to develop Princes Parade. These viability studies were either ignored or belittled by the Council. I remember one council consultant saying my work was ‘alarmist’. Bearing in mind that I am better qualified and more experienced than any of the multitude of consultants employed on the scheme, the word ‘alarmist’ has a certain ironic meaning now the scheme has lost so much money without a single hole being dug.
“I warned you the scheme was unviable, when I delivered the petition with 7,000 signatures, which the council refused to accept.
“I warned you the scheme was unviable at the 13 public consultations and exhibitions I attended over 11 years, despite [Conservative] Councillor Hollingsbee telling me the council is a ‘listening Council’!
“I warned you the scheme was unviable in my planning objections, along with 700 other people who took the time and effort to object to the scheme at Planning.
“I warned you the scheme was unviable during my campaign to be elected to this chamber – indeed it was the only thing I campaigned on.
“I warned you the scheme was unviable during the debate on [LibDem] Councillor Prater’s motion to withdraw the planning permission in June 2019, a vote which was ignored by [Leader] Councillor Monk in the most flagrant misuse of council powers in totally ignoring the will of the people as expressed through their elected representatives.
“I warned you the scheme was unviable at every single planning meeting when Princes Parade has appeared on the agenda.
“I warned the Council’s barrister the scheme was unviable at the public enquiry into the moving of Princes Parade to service the luxury beachfront apartments planned for the scheme.
“It’s difficult for me to say, ‘I hate to say I told you so’, because I did over and over again and each time, I was ignored. And now we find ourselves in the deep dark hole that Councillor Tilson predicted.”
That deep dark hole is the £4-£5 million cost of the scheme before it was finally paused, which, added to an already perilous financial position for the council, will pose a challenge for whoever is elected next May. The future of the Princes Parade site has yet to be decided but the Green Party will do all it can to preserve it as open space.
