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Shepway (Folkstone and Hythe)

The area called Shepway features some of Kent’s most wonderful countryside, from the hidden valleys of the North Downs to the huge skies and profound tranquillity of parts of the Romney Marsh.

Despite the presence of the Dungeness nuclear power station, the M20 motorway and the Channel Tunnel terminal at Cheriton, much of the district is unspoilt and it remains a popular tourist destination.

The Council renamed itself Folkestone & Hythe District Council in April 2018, but the Committee has agreed to retain the name Shepway.

Committee

Chairman: Graham Horner

Hot issues

Shepway is one of our busiest districts due to the sensitivity of the landscape and the number of ill-thought out schemes coming forward.

  • Sellindge and surrounding villages has been inundated by applications for:
    • A sludge plant waste management site
    • Plans for an Operation Stack lorry park
    • ‘Otterpool Park’
    • Wind turbines
  • Lydd Airport: the so-called ‘London Ashford Airport’ is seeking to extend its runway and build a new terminal building to attract airlines that they hope will increase passenger numbers from a few hundred to 500,000 per year, and eventually 2 million per year.
  • Hythe: has had a number of poor quality schemes come forward, and be approved, that threaten the quality and character of this historic town, and the local businesses that are there. This includes – a major new Sainsbury’s on Military Road, housing in the grounds of the Imperial Hotel, beachside properties on Fisherman’s Beach and hundreds of dwellings on open land at Princes Parade.
  • Romney Marsh: The Council continues to plan for more housing on the Marsh despite lack of infrastructure, especially for drainage.
  • New Garden Town: The Council are planning ‘Otterpool Park’ which would squeeze 10,000 new homes between the villages of Lympne, Westenhanger/Stanford and Sellindge, surrounded on three sides by the North Downs AONB.