We can confirm that one of our ambulances was involved in a collision with a motorbike at approximately 8.15am today on the A259 Dymchurch Road The ambulance was responding to an emergency in the area at the time and other vehicles were assigned to attend the emergency Additional ambulances attended the scene of the collision and the motorcyclist was assessed and treated at the scene before being taken to William Harvey Hospital with injuries including leg injuries the three crew onboard the ambulance were uninjured Accident cleared on A259 in both directions between B2071 Station Road and Sainsburys A259 DYMCHURCH ROAD - NEW ROMNEY - BOTH DIRECTIONS A259 Dymchurch Road in both directions closed due to accident a motorbike and an ambulance involved between B2071 Station Road and Sainsburys A259 Dymchurch Road in both directions closed and back to the town outskirts near the Holiday Park Kent Police was called to a report of a collision involving a motorbike and an ambulance in Dymchurch Road Emergency services attended and the motorcyclist has been taken to a local hospital with injuries which are not life-threatening Officers remain at the scene working to reopen the road The incident was between B2071 Station Road and St Mary's Road, by Sainsbury's. The motorcyclist has been taken to hospital Traffic monitoring site Inrix said at 10.55am: "A259 Dymchurch Road in both directions closed KentLive has contacted the emergency services for further details - Kent Police has given statement Follow our blog below for the latest updates as they happen Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of KentLive content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice Never get stuck in a jam again with our FREE traffic and travel email for KentLive readers. Find out more here. We can confirm that one of our ambulances was involved in a collision with a motorbike at approximately 8.15am today on the A259 Dymchurch Road. The ambulance was responding to an emergency in the area at the time and other vehicles were assigned to attend the emergency. Additional ambulances attended the scene of the collision, and the motorcyclist was assessed and treated at the scene before being taken to William Harvey Hospital with injuries including leg injuries. Thankfully, the three crew onboard the ambulance were uninjured. Comments12:04Mary HarrisAccident is cleared Traffic monitoring site Inrix has just said: Accident cleared on A259 in both directions between B2071 Station Road and Sainsburys. Comments11:33Mary Harris Road remains shut - latest Read the latest article here: Motorcyclist taken to hospital after rush hour accident involving ambulance on Kent A259 Comments11:14Mary HarrisTraffic is now coping well Traffic monitoring site Inrix said at 11.12am: A259 Dymchurch Road in both directions closed due to accident, a motorbike and an ambulance involved between B2071 Station Road and Sainsburys. Traffic is coping well. Comments10:54Mary HarrisCongestion to West Street and back to outskirts of townCongestion following an accident between a motorcyclist and an ambulance is reaching back to West Street and back to the outskirts of the town near the holiday park. The crash was on the A259 Dymchurch Road and the road remains shut in both directions. There is queueing traffic. The incident was between B2071 Station Road and Sainsbury's. The accident was at just before 8.19am. Emergency services attended and the motorcyclist was tkane to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries, said Kent Police. Current traffic congestion on A259 Dymchurch Road, see below: Comments10:25Mary HarrisLive traffic map shows current congestion on A259This live traffic map shows current congestion on A259 after accident which has seen motorcyclist taken to hospital. Comments10:10Mary HarrisCongestion to West StreetTraffic monitoring site Inrix now says: A259 Dymchurch Road in both directions closed, queueing traffic due to accident, a motorbike and an ambulance involved between B2071 Station Road and Sainsburys. Congestion to West Street, and back to the town outskirts near the Holiday Park. Comments10:05KEY EVENTMotorcyclist taken to hospital - Kent Police gives informationA police spokesperson has just told KentLive: Kent Police was called to a report of a collision involving a motorbike and an ambulance in Dymchurch Road, New Romney at 8.19am in Friday 2 May 2025. Emergency services attended and the motorcyclist has been taken to a local hospital with injuries which are not life-threatening. Officers remain at the scene working to reopen the road. Comments09:21KEY EVENTRoad remains closed in both directions Traffic monitoring site Inrix says: We will be bringing you all the latest updates as we get them Do you have any information or photos? Email kentlivenewsdesk@reachplc.com Don't miss out on the biggest local stories.Sign up to our KentLive newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more. Home » News » Household Waste Recycling Centre reuse pop-up shop dates announced FCC Environment manages 14 of Kent County Council’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres Eight of them have been busy collecting good quality preloved items ready for this year’s pop-up shops through the Spring/Summer.  The team held the first reuse pop-up shops of the year at Allington HWRC on 16th March and at Ashford HWRC on 23rd March where they sold preloved items which had been donated to our reuse containers situated on site furniture and some electrical items such as coffee machines and food processors.  This is the third year that FCC Environment and Kent County Council have run reuse pop-up shops and more are planned Canterbury HWRC – 21 September 2025 10am-2pm FCC’s Education and communications officer said “We are pleased to announce the dates of our next reuse pop-up shops across Kent When thinking about whether to donate items or throw them away Photos taken at the recent Reuse Pop Up shop in Allington The FCC Environment Press Office can be contacted on 01302 553454 or info@fccenvironment.co.uk marked for the attention of Press Office Or in writing at:FCC Environment Press Office3 Sidings CourtWhite Rose WayDoncasterDN4 5NU Registered in England and Wales No. 2674166 VAT reg: No. 637 8808 92 Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters Plans to deliver a new community hub in the heart of a coastal Kent town are now moving forward. Independent charity Romney Marsh Community Hub has confirmed that works are set to begin on its hotly anticipated ‘Hub on the Beach’ Taking over the former Mulberry Bar and Restaurant on Coast Drive in New Romney the centre will offer a range of features and services for the community to make the most of the Romney Marsh Community Hub team said: “We are very excited to announce we have signed on the dotted line to start work on our new ‘Hub On The Beach’ and hall where we can expand the services we offer to our community including Pilates Read more: Planning chiefs defer decision on new estate on Kent hospital site Read more: Kent town where the election result is best at forecasting the PM “As well as classes we will be holding events and group sessions all in walking distance to the beach.” The charity has served the town for over 45 years and aims to support and improve the wellbeing of those aged 50 and over in the community The charity adds: "We are committed to reducing the impact of loneliness and social isolation felt by so many in our community by providing an accessible and welcoming place for people to take part in events and classes to meet and socialise." From delivering hot meals to homes the charity works tirelessly to ensure everyone in the town is well looked after Romney Marsh Community Hub currently operates from Rolfe Lane and offers a range of services community dinners as well as get-togethers for those living with dementia All money raised from the new Hub on the Beach will go towards the continued work of the charity in supporting New Romney's over 50s As well as offering a range of services and facilities to the community the centre will be creating new jobs in the town The charity has confirmed that, as works progress to create the site, a number of job vacancies are now live for various roles within the hub, full details of which can be found on Indeed Romney Marsh Community Hub will also be looking for volunteers to lend a hand with the running of the centre the new hub will operate between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday then 8am to 5pm on Saturdays and finally 8am to 4pm on Sundays The charity says that this will give “plenty of time to grab a coffee and something to eat” with further details on what the centre will offer to be confirmed in the run up to the opening The news of the new hub has been met with a wave of support online One local resident remarked: "Sounds fab will pop by for a coffee." Another added: "Oh I can't wait to be a regular user of this or both - and it's on a bus route!" Get more news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE. Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Power for 20 per cent of Kent homes could come from new solar farm The largest solar farm ever proposed for the county has been mooted by energy firm Low Carbon The 500 megawatt (MW) facility on Romney Marsh would produce enough energy to power 140,000 homes The facility – called South Kent Energy Park – could be built around the village of Old Romney Plans are yet to be submitted but Low Carbon says the site will become one of the UK’s largest solar farms Bosses say the sprawling facility – the equivalent of 840 football pitches – will be connected to the National Grid either via an existing substation in Dungeness or a new substation proposed to be built nearby The biggest solar farm currently operating is Llanwern in south Wales The largest one under construction is Cottam Solar in Lincolnshire while Cleve Hill Solar Park in Graveney near Faversham Low Carbon plans to submit its proposal to the Planning Inspectorate in 2026 with construction starting no earlier than 2029 of Canterbury-based solar firm Convert Energy says he thinks “it could take some time” for the new scheme to be approved “Kent has a chequered history with large-scale solar developments with the Cleve Hill solar park in Graveney drawing massive local opposition,” he said “The positioning of this park makes a lot of sense A huge part of the development costs of a solar park is in the grid connection and upgrade works The existing infrastructure should be capable of handling the output of the solar park.” He also argued there is “precedent in the area” “The key for Low Carbon will be getting the local community onside with the project,” Mr Browne added The company is taking comments on its proposal online until December 20 and is hosting in-person events for residents to attend at Ivychurch Village Hall on Tuesday An online event will also be held on Thursday A battery energy storage facility (BESS) is also proposed in the project which will allow the power to be held and deployed when needed BESS facilities have been controversial elsewhere – with Swale Borough Council refusing planning permission for the safety plan for the BESS at Cleve Hill Solar Park However the council was found to have done so wrongly and its decision was overturned by the Planning Inspectorate Many cite safety concerns about BESS – which uses batteries that can’t be extinguished with water if they catch fire who represents the area on Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) said: “I want to see a bit more detail because it says in the outline as well as a solar farm they want to put in a battery system.” He said he will attend one of the events to ask the developers if the land will still be usable for sheep grazing He added: “What impact is it going to have on agriculture and agricultural jobs across the Marsh?” We’re in this difficult position about wanting to decarbonise the grid but of course we have to look at any form of renewable energy.” Plans for any solar farm of 50MW or more do not go through the local council for permission – they are treated as nationally significant infrastructure projects massive solar facilities need to get a Development Consent Order from the government energy secretary Ed Miliband MP approved several huge solar projects around the country – two of 500MW Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal project development director at Low Carbon says the scheme “will play a crucial role in support of the UK’s decarbonisation targets” “We look forward to engaging with the community and providing the opportunity for those who live and work closest to the project to learn more about Low Carbon’s emerging proposals,” he said we want to give the local community the opportunity to collaborate with us and shape the project from an early stage of the design process Alongside data from our ongoing environmental surveys we will use the feedback we receive to inform the design of the project and listening to the community is integral to that process.” As we approach the end of the year, 29 people from around Kent have been named on the King's New Year Honours List for 2025 The list marks the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the country From television legends to the founders of an amazing charity helping children battling brain cancer our county can be very proud of the remarkable individuals representing the Garden of England on this year’s list Among those honoured this year are husband and wife Amanda and Raymond Mifsud The couple, from Brabourne near Ashford a charity dedicated to helping children diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) - a fast growing form of brain cancer After losing their six-year-old daughter Abbie to the disease in September 2011 Amanda and Raymond set up Abbie’s Army in 2012 to support other children and families facing DIPG On their website they state: “Completely compelled by the sheer hopelessness and helplessness we felt by the total lack of treatment options the only thing we could do was at least try to prevent it happening to other families in the future We have already played our own small part in hopefully bringing forth much needed advancements in the treatment of this universally fatal tumour Abbie was our whole world; no parent ever wants to hear that there is no cure and no hope and they should never have to.” Amanda and Raymond have now been made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for their charitable services to children and families dealing with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma and to brain tumour research They join numerous other influential Kent residents on the list Tom has been very open about his love of Kent. Previously speaking to Great British Life he discussed his college days: “I managed to see a fair bit of Kent at the time and I liked what I saw – you could be on the coast in a jiffy and in London in a jiffy in the other direction." He added: “What a beautiful county – the Garden of England the former Time Lord has been honoured with an MBE for his services to television For services to the Business and Voluntary Sectors Lately Interim Group Chief Operating Officer For services to Workplace Mental Health and Well-being City of Rochester Swimming and Lifeguard Club For Voluntary Service to Swimming and to the Royal Life Saving Society High Street Heritage Action Zone and Co-Chair For services to Heritage and the community in Kent For charitable services to Disabled People and to the community in Kent For services to Horticulture and to Charity For charitable services to Children and Families dealing with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma and to Brain Tumour Research Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive For services to Children and Young People with SEND For services to the Administration of Justice For services to Bereaved Parents of Stillborn Children Emily Elizabeth Craig For services to the community in Biddenden For services to Charitable Fundraising and to the community in Kent For services to the community in Bredhurst For services to the community in Orpington For services to the Environment and to Sustainability in Rainham For services to Mental Health in Transport You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Low Carbon is in the early stages of developing proposals for a new solar and energy storage park on Romney Marsh With an anticipated generation capacity of 500 MW the project would generate enough clean energy to power 140 000 homes site is located near the village of Old Romney within the Folkestone and Hythe District The area available for development includes land to the north and south of the A259 between Brenzett to the northwest of the site and New Romney to the east Low Carbon’s first phase of community outreach has also started with local residents and businesses invited to attend one of the in-person or online events planned to take place over the coming weeks Project Development Director at Low Carbon said: “We are pleased to announce our plans for South Kent Energy Park which once built will play a crucial role in providing a clean and affordable source of energy generation in support of the UK’s decarbonisation targets “We look forward to engaging with the local community and providing the opportunity for those who live and work closest to the project to learn more about Low Carbon’s emerging proposals “In delivering South Kent Energy Park “Alongside data from our ongoing environmental surveys we will use the feed-back we receive to inform the design of the project and listening to the community is integral to that process.” A project website has been set up and interested parties are invited to provide their comments via the online feedback form or during one of the in-person events scheduled for 26 and 27 November An online event will also take place on 12 December The proposals also include the infrastructure required to export the electricity generated by South Kent Energy Park to the national grid South Kent Energy Park is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project It will require an application for development consent to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate with the consent determined by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Dive into the latest renewable energy insights in the Autumn issue of Energy Global The issue starts with an insightful guest comment from Cristiano Spillati Managing Director at Limes Renewable Energy where he discusses the need for European renewable energy suppliers to accelerate the rate of the energy transition This is followed by a regional report from Cornwall Insights on the battery energy storage industry in Australia This issue explores key topics including offshore wind subsea cables Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/14112024/low-carbon-confirms-plans-to-develop-a-new-500-mw-renewable-energy-park-in-kent/ Lantana Capital Ltd has been appointed as the mandated sell-side advisor for the public auction of Heliosphera SA's bankrupt solar panel factory in Tripoli Embed article link: (copy the HTML code below): Already a member? Sign in here As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot There are a few reasons this might happen: please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page We're getting everything ready for you and you'll be on your way in just a few moments Aldi does already operate a supermarket within the Chatham postcode at Horsted Retail Park But this is a considerable journey away from the main town centre and High Street Read more: Plans to build more homes in 'Kent’s most remote village' Get Kent's latest breaking news and top stories on WhatsApp New Romney does not have an Aldi at present, and the area's nearest store is in Hythe there is one branch in Tunbridge Wells already this being located at the Great Lodge Retail Park which While Aldi is keen to set up shop in these Kent locations they have only been included on the company's "wish list" This means there is no guarantee new stores will open in the areas listed - at this stage However, Aldi is on the hunt for sites that can fit a 20,000 sq ft store with about 100 parking spaces, preferably situated near main roads with good visibility and access. Additionally, the supermarket chain is searching for smaller sites within the M25 to develop its Aldi Local format stores Anyone who thinks they know of a suitable location can reach out to the company by sending an email to: realestateacquisitions@aldi.co.uk managing director of national real estate at Aldi UK said: “We want to make high-quality food accessible to all but we can’t do that while there are still some towns and areas that either don’t have an Aldi or have capacity for additional stores “We recognise there is huge demand in certain regions for more stores which is why we decided to get the public’s input on our latest list of priority locations They have helped us identify where demand is greatest and we will continue to work to bring Aldi to as many people as possible.” Get more news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE. 12 DEC 2024BookmarkBritain Remade held a public meeting to discuss returning nuclear energy to Dungeness (Image: Britain Remade)Dungeness residents are proud of the region's nuclear heritage and the well-paid jobs nuclear energy production has created They are keen to see nuclear energy return to once again bring investment and jobs and play a key role in reducing emissions That was the clear message sent by those who attended a public meeting organised by the pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade When Queen Elizabeth II switched on Calder Hall power station in Cumbria in 1956 it signalled the dawn of a new era - an era that would provide generations of local people with highly skilled a further eight nuclear power stations were built in just 10 years Nuclear innovation continued at the site with the construction of Dungeness B in 1983 the UK's first Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor Britain has not built a new nuclear power station in 29 years squandering our nuclear lead to countries like France who are exporting homegrown nuclear technology around the world As part of its campaign to slash the time it takes to build job-creating infrastructure the meeting in New Romney brought together dozens of people who want to see one of the next generation of nuclear power stations built on the Dungeness site as quickly as possible New national polling carried out by Britain Remade found that a majority of people (54%) think nuclear power should play an important part in the UK’s energy mix and just under a quarter (21%) said they didn't know Dungeness is ideally placed to take advantage of the government's commitment to invest in new nuclear power stations While the trailblazing reactors of the past may be in the process of being decommissioned the site is ideal for a state-of-the-art Small Modular Reactor Dungeness proudly produced energy that powered homes across the country "It's critical that local people show there is still strong support for new nuclear in Dungeness That's why public meetings like the one we held in New Romney are so critical "We will take the important points raised during the meeting away and use them to strengthen our campaign "Dungeness blazed a trail with new nuclear technology in the 1980s and it can do so again with either a state-of-the-art Small Modular Reactor or microreactor "Either move would create high-quality jobs safeguard the region's nuclear skills and power homes and industry with clean energy.” For further information about the work of Britain Remade, please visit www.britainremade.co.uk The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Britain Remade They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Reach plc Get the latest property market news straight to your inbox Nigel Farage has applied to replace a derelict house with a swish three-storey property - complete with a view of a beach used for refugee landings The Reform UK leader's company has submitted plans to renovate the old building in the village of Greatstone The coastal three-bedroom property overlooks Greatstone beach and out to sea but is currently in a "state of disrepair" according to planning documents submitted to Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC) by Mr Farage's company Thorn in the Side Limited will see the existing property knocked down to make way for the new three-bedroom pad The 60-year-old told the LDRS about the house earlier this week: "This is a commercial rebuild through my company I believe that Greatstone is a super place with a great beach It will attract many people in the coming years.” He added that it will be a long process and he has not yet decided what he will do with the property once work is complete Greatstone's beach has been a landing destination for refugees crossing the channel in small boats in recent years two women and a 10-year-old child arrived on the beach after crossing the English Channel in a black dinghy launched in May and designed by local architecture firm Holloway Studio feature a carport to the rear of the house with space for two vehicles and a study and bedroom on the floor above as well as a sunken terrace area facing the beach The second floor boasts a "larder" or pantry adjoining a kitchen and living area with a beach-facing balcony The third floor - set into the roof space of the property - has a master bedroom and en-suite with a view out to sea from a dormer window A planning document from Holloway Studio said: "Over time neighbouring properties have undergone incremental renovations and extensions transforming them into substantial family dwellings "This proposal aligns with the natural hierarchy of the street scene As is typical along the existing street scene a flat roof has been proposed for the new carport and garage at ground level as well as for the first-floor accommodation "The second and third floors are stacked atop one another with the latter set within the pitched roof space sea-facing side of the house adds architectural interest to the roof form while providing natural daylight and views to the master bedroom "Rooflights have been incorporated above the garage and carports as well as above the staircase and master bedroom to introduce natural daylight into the internal spaces The second floor provides an open-plan kitchen/living/dining room which takes advantage of the views over Greatstone Beach "A high-quality palette of materials has been proposed for the new dwelling The predominant materials are grey bricks and vertical timber cladding which will weather naturally to a silver colour." No objections were raised to the application by New Romney Town Council though two of its planning committee's eight members abstained from voting on the plans There are so far no comments from members of the public on the proposals it was reported that Mr Farage had bought a four-bed property in Lydd-on-Sea less than two miles down the coast from Greatstone The politician was born in Downe He is believed to still mainly reside there For more news across Surrey, visit our homepage here. Fears are mounting over plans to build a huge new housing estate on a field near a 'flood prone' residential area in Kent Plans for 96 new homes are to be sent back to the drawing board after claims infrastructure is already “pushed to the limit." Pentland Homes has submitted a planning application for a mix of houses and flats on land near Ashford Road in New Romney submitted to Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) in October last year attracted six letters of objection from neighbours locals and politicians insisted New Romney “cannot sustain new large developments” at the authority’s latest planning committee It comes as more than 1,500 homes have been created in and around the town in the last 15 years READ MORE: Developers' plan to scrap affordable homes from town's scheme rejected READ MORE: Archaeological find could halt 5,000 home development plans in village who lives near the proposed development site told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) before the meeting that “sewage can’t cope now with the excess water” from new developments "A lot of these developments don’t seem to enhance the structures around and put in any improvements to counteract for all the extra people that are going to be living there,” she added Direct neighbour Richard Crooks also opposed the plans He said: “The infrastructure is totally inadequate I’ve no objection overall to this sort of development in the field behind me but I have got certain objections with regard to the flooding that I experience in my garden “Down in this bottom area of my garden we regularly get two to three feet of water.” The bid ended up going before FHDC’s planning committee after a request from ward councillor David Wimble (Ind) Although not a member of the planning committee he attended to “to passionately articulate why this development must be reconsidered and ultimately rejected” He said: “Until we have the necessary infrastructure in place New Romney cannot sustain new large developments The town council was informed in 2009 the New Romney sewage pump was operating at 120% capacity since then we’ve had over 1,500 new homes being built in and around New Romney “Let me address the notion of NIMBYism – this is not merely people objecting to the development in their backyard the concerns here are rooted in substantial factual evidence.” Lucy Wilford told the planning committee: “This application seeks to make the most efficient use of this greenfield and sustainable site in New Romney.” She stressed that “the density of the development remains low” and it “would not harm the visual amenity of the area” But other members of the planning committee shared their concerns reminded colleagues of bad flooding during a “once in 30 year” deluge of rain last November He added: “We were distributing sandbags to houses along that particular hump on Ashford Road to prevent their properties from flooding “The whole issue of managing waste water in New Romney is at a critical stage We are and have been suffering multiple storm overflows where raw sewage is discharged into the sea and that happens on a very regular basis.” He then proposed the committee vote to refuse the application despite planning officers recommending they approve it adding: “The infrastructure is pushed to the limit and it has failed at critical times which is not acceptable.” Originally outline permission was given for 87 homes on the plot and Cllr Thomas described the increase as “trying to squeeze every pound out of this particular site” The development is proposed to consist of a mix of houses and flats and blocks of apartments up to three storeys high At the meeting Cllr Mike Blakemore (Green) said: “We hear a lot about efficient use of the site but I don’t think it’s an efficient use of the site if it is increasing the risk of surface flooding and it’s increasing the strain on infrastructure – that isn’t efficient in my mind.” When you drive there you sit in traffic with petrol pumping out into the atmosphere – that’s a seaside area and it stinks of petrol We’re taking away everything from that area Members were looking to vote to refuse the application on grounds of flooding and sewage issues a planning officer told them: “It would be very very difficult to sustain an objection on those grounds if not impossible.” Pointing out that Southern Water and the Environment agency had not objected she argued the council would likely lose if Pentland Homes appealed against the decision councillors instead voted unanimously to defer the application to work with the developers to alter the designs the site already has outline planning permission for 87 homes so if the bid was rejected the developers could still come forward with a detailed application for 87 The outline permission also includes the three-storey blocks For the latest planning notices near you visit publicnoticeportal.uk. Get more news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE. A POPULAR beach in Kent will be kitted out with brand-new beach huts next year thanks to a £1.5million renovation project Plans to build the new beach huts at Greatstone Beach (near New Romney) were approved by Folkestone & Hythe District Council back in June The colourful new beach huts are part of the Romney Marsh Coastal Destination project, which aims to make the Kent beach a holiday hotspot In addition to the 93 new beach huts, which should be ready for visitors in autumn 2025 the project will also see a visitor hub and an upgraded car park built A description on Folkestone & Hythe District Council website reads: "The visitor hub will contain accessible toilets a Changing Places facility and a café concession kiosk "The chalets and visitor hub will be linked by a fully-accessible boardwalk." revealed the total budget for the project was just over £1.5million - although it is not known if this is just for the beach huts Folkestone & Hythe District Council will fund £900,000 with additional funding being provided by Magnox and Community Infrastructure Levy contributions from developers Cllr Jeremy Speakman said: "This project has been very popular drawn widespread local support providing great benefits for the area particularly because it also provides additional provision of a visitor centre." Greatstone Beach has a 4.5/5 star rating from hundreds of reviews on TripAdvisor, with one person writing: "This beach is stunning". "We saw lots of sea birds and felt totally at peace sat on this beach just relaxing" Greatstone Beach stretches for two miles and is a mix of sand and shingle The beach is a popular destination for watersports and windsports like land yachting This is because it's the only beach on the South Coast that works on a North Easterly wind There's plenty of space for kitesurfers of all abilities too which means it isn't too crowded either Because of the wide variety of rare plant species small animals and insects found at Greatstone Dunes the dunes are an a Site of Specific Scientific Interest It's also a 10-minute drive from Camber Sands Greatstone is the nearest village to Greatstone Beach The tiny Kent village largely consists of residential buildings along with a handful of restaurants, pubs and holiday homes there's also Littlestone-on-Sea coastal village which was first established in the 1880s by politician St Robert Perks Mr Perks made it a popular seaside holiday resort for the wealthy crowds and the gentry with locals having just a few shops and some holiday lets With views of France (on a very clear day) sitting at the edge of the converted train tracks and selling hand-crafted goods and amazing food The multicoloured high street with shops and restaurants can't be missed my favourites being Burrito Buoy for some amazing margaritas and The Folkestone Bookshop for some novels You'll need to pack your beach shoes as it has a stony beach over a sandy beach - but after a few drinks at the much loved pilot bar The small sandy bay has retained it's chocolate box charm crammed with weathered fishing boats and backed by pokey cafes and airy art galleries where seaside-inspired works hang from the walls For impeccable views of a wild sea and homemade grub head to Rock Pool Cafe which sits atop a craggy cliff and order a 'make it yourself' hot chocolate There are some impressive coastal walks - but be warned it can be hilly Accessible on a spit of sand when the tide is out this quirky little community art project is made up of driftwood flags and mementoes from those who have visited to admire the huge swathes of golden sands and sparkling waters Sadly the original was destroyed in a fire in 2023 but an enthusiastic band of local volunteers are slowly re-building the landmark Sun Online Travel recently visited Dungeness - here is what you can expect And Hythe in Kent was recently named the most affordable seaside town in the UK Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ currently in a state of disrepair but boasts sea views News | Politics Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice Nigel Farage has submitted plans to knock down a derelict house on the Kent coast and replace it with a swanky three-storey new-build The Reform UK leader has tasked leading local architects Hollaway Studio with the project in Greatstone on Romney Marsh which is currently in a state of disrepair but boasts sea views was bought in March last year for £575,000 who was reportedly paid £1.5 million to appear on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here told KentOnline this week: “This is a commercial rebuild through my company “I believe that Greatstone is a super place with a great beach “It will attract many people in the coming years.” has lodged an application with Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC) to knock down the house and replace it with a three-storey dwelling is responsible for a number of iconic buildings in the county including the Curious Brewery site in Ashford and the F51 multi-storey skatepark and Rocksalt restaurant in Folkestone the Hythe-based firm says the existing house is “currently in a state of disrepair” and is smaller compared to other properties on the street the property will be demolished and replaced with a new one It will remain a three-bed but will become three-storey including a master bedroom and en-suite in the roof space The ground floor at street level will include a garage and carport with space for three cars in total as well as a “generous driveway” out the front Former EU negotiator Barnier becomes French PM as Starmer seeks Brexit reset Some 257 migrants arrived in UK day after 12 died in ‘year’s deadliest crossing’ Vistry says it will play ‘key role’ in Government plans for affordable homes an intriguing new perfume from Penhaligon’s The swish new home will also feature a sunken terrace outside The documents add: “The predominant materials are grey bricks and vertical timber cladding which will weather naturally to a silver colour “Weathered timber is commonly used around Dungeness and is well-suited to the coastal environment “The grey bricks have been chosen to complement the natural tones of the timber cladding.” New Romney Town Council raised no objections to the planning application Two of its planning committee’s eight members abstained from voting on it There are no comments from members of the public for or against the proposals It is not yet known when FHDC will decide on the application As the proposals are for a single property it is likely to be decided by planning officers rather than by councillors the last time the house was sold was in April 1996 for £58,000 before it was officially made part of the London Borough of Bromley He still resides mainly in Downe – a small village technically part of Bromley but outside of the urban area of London he even stressed the Kentish identity of his primary home “Nobody in those twin villages of Downe and Cudham believes they live in London,” he said there will be a candidate elected to take TN14 and TN16 out of Greater London Mr Farage stood for the constituency of South Thanet in the general elections of 2005 and 2015 when he was the leader of Ukip losing out to Conservative Craig Mackinlay Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid questioned Mr Farage on his reported £1.5 million payment for appearing on I’m a Celebrity He replied: “Is this the biggest paycheck I’ve ever had it is – and what on earth is wrong with that?” Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Rihanna shows off baby bump at star-studded Met Gala 2025 as singer's third pregnancy with A$AP Rocky announced Rihanna debuts baby bump on star-studded Met Gala blue carpet Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker