Council earmarks funding to reopen historic road

13 hours ago

Danielle MalgwiSouth East

News image — A landslip on 27 January 2024 left the Road of Remembrance in Folkestone buried under soil

BBC The image shows a road sign reading "Road of Remembrance", with a poppy at the end of the sign. Behind it is a small stone wall, and metal rails sectioning off the road. — A landslip on 27 January 2024 left the Road of Remembrance in Folkestone buried under soil

A council has set out plans to deliver major engineering works to stabilise a collapsed cliff in Folkestone.

A landslip on 27 January 2024 left the historic Road of Remembrance buried under tonnes of soil and trees, forcing its immediate closure.

Kent County Council (KCC) intends to allocate significant funding towards the £5m scheme within its draft 2026/27 budget, with works due to begin as soon as early summer if the budget is agreed on 12 February.

Peter Osborne, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Getting this road open again will not only restore an important historic link, but will also support local businesses and contribute to the wider economic regeneration of Folkestone."

The image shows a blocked road, with a large pile of foliage in the way and some workers in high-visibility jackets. — The historic Road of Remembrance has been closed off for two years

The works will include the drilling of 974 soil nails (long steel rods) deep into the cliff face to pin the unstable soil and rock together, preventing further movement and collapse, as well as erosion control matting and mesh facing to reduce erosion from rain and wind,

Drainage systems will also be used to redirect water away from the cliff face, reducing water pressure inside the ground.

The council has described the site as "highly complex" and said that it will require a specialist engineering contractor and careful management of ecological constraints.

If the draft budget is agreed at the full council meeting, the proposed works would then still need to be considered through a formal decision-making process in accordance with the KCC constitution.

Then, if a relevant recommendation is approved, KCC is likely to be able to provide more details about the delivery of the necessary works.

"In the meantime, we are tentatively working to bring about as much certainty as is possible to confirm potential start dates and to find out how long it is likely to take," a council spokesperson said.

"We will keep residents informed as more details are known."

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