A developer has defended his plans for an eco-friendly apartment block as some residents fear it is “too much for our town”.
Proposals have been submitted to build the five-storey building with striking ‘living walls’ on a site in West Cliff Gardens in Folkestone town centre.
But the ambitious designs are worrying some locals, who fear it will “ruin the area”.
The block of four apartments will feature “vertical planting” in an attempt to complement the wooded landscape of the nearby Church of St Mary & St Eanswythe.
The developer, Francesco Conte, says he wants to build something on the brownfield site that reflects the “vibrant, creative, emerging city.”
The apartments will have their own air source heat pumps, high levels of insulation, triple glazing and solar panels.
Mr Conte, director of Green Box Creative, says now is the time to build responsibly, with environmental considerations “becoming increasingly important”.
He says the environmentally friendly measures will also result in lower energy bills for residents.
“So often in the past, developments were characterized by minimal creative efforts, often resulting in generic totalitarian buildings,” Conte said.
“This approach typically prioritizes cost savings and expediency over aesthetics, sustainability and functionality, leading to buildings that are not energy efficient or environmentally sustainable and which can impact the urban landscape and environment.”
He says the solar panel system “will be designed with battery storage that will cover 70% of energy consumption for each flat”.
Mr Conte says the living walls improve air quality by filtering pollutants and creating habitats for various plant species, insects and birds, “promoting urban biodiversity”.
He added: “As we become more aware of climate change and the government tightens regulatory compliance, there will be a growing demand for sustainable living and working spaces.”
However, residents who spoke to KentOnline were unsure about the plans.
Rosemary Southon, 65, who has lived in the town for 42 years, said: “I’m not happy with the length; it’s too much for our small town.
“What about privacy for residents who are now overlooked because of this?
“More should be spent on preserving older buildings than on adding new construction.”
Peter Jackson, 67, regularly visits Folkestone and agrees more needs to be done to preserve the town’s history.
He said: “I think it will ruin the area. It is surrounded by Victorian buildings that should be listed.
“Folkestone is a very pleasant town, but it seems that developers are allowed to go to extremes with the amount of construction.
“There’s a lot of history here, and more should be spent celebrating it.”
Paul Eldridge, 58, who moved to Folkestone during lockdown, said: “Who can afford these flats once they are built?
“It’s a small area with a lot of traffic congestion, and there’s already pressure on the city’s facilities.
“Can they become holiday homes? I could see the appeal, but it would mean they would still be empty.”
Planning permission was previously granted for three apartments on the site in 2021, but it was sold to Green Box Creative two years later.