Occupying a prime position on the pebbly beach, an actual stone’s throw from Folkestone’s gently lapping waves, Shoreline’s contemporary new homes are a jewel in this creative and bustling town’s crown

It started about 18 months ago. First there were the Instagram posts from friends drinking Champagne in the sunshine, on the Harbour Arm. Shortly followed by different WhatsApp groups, full of pictures and messages enthusing about the restaurants, independent retailers, and how easy it is to get there by train. Then the invites began: “you must come with us to Folkestone, it’s such a cool place these days”. Clearly something was happening down there.

Delve into the detail, and what’s happening in Folkestone is quite remarkable. Old English seaside towns, with their best days behind them but in recent receipt of some new investment or other, are often described, more in hope than with conviction, as being regenerated or reborn. Temporarily brought back to life by the defibrillating effect of a little cash. But that’s not what’s happening in Folkestone. This is much bigger. This is a reimagining.

Right at the top of the building, the kitchen is flooded with sea light
Right at the top of the building, the kitchen is flooded with sea light

A visionary project of such scale and beauty, that it draws comparison with the work of Old Tonbridgian Decimus Burton, the acclaimed 19th Century architect and landscaper famous for the elegant crescents around Regent’s Park, the Calverley Park estate in Tunbridge Wells, and for being the Burton in Burtons’ St Leonards.
The Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company are leading this project, bringing the vision of Folkestone’s greatest benefactor – Saga Chairman, Sir Roger de Haan – to life.

They’re putting some serious revs into the evolution of the town. Integral to this development have been the strong links they’ve built with the local community. One physical link is their delightful new boardwalk that snakes through the stones, and is dotted with joyous pieces of public art, that connects the Harbour Arm to Burton’s Leas Promenade via the Lower Leas Coastal Park and the historic Leas Lift. Residents of Shoreline will never tire of this being part of their daily constitutional.

Another physical connection is the renovated and thoughtfully landscaped Grade II listed Swing Bridge and Viaduct that takes you from Customs House and over the water to the much-lauded Rocksalt Restaurant and their fabulous new wine bar that overlooks the harbour. It’s hard to imagine a nicer place to sample some of Kent’s finest wines from the Terlingham, Gusbourne, Simpsons and Heppington vineyards. Alternatively, you might like to delve into their cocktail menu – the ‘Kentish Twinkle’ was definitely winking at us!

From here it’s a short walk to the Creative Folkestone Quarter, an urban village of designers, filmmakers, musicians, web developers and artists. This area is an incubator for creative and digital businesses: a place where bars transform into micro-performance spaces and cafés are buzzing with people meeting and making exciting plans. It’s also home to the Quarterhouse, a performance arts venue with an exceptional programme of theatre, music, film, and comedy.

Like in the kitchen upstairs, the open plan sitting and dining area looks straight out over the sea.
Like in the kitchen upstairs, the open plan sitting and dining area looks straight out over the sea.

Shoreline residents will no doubt organise visits from friends around one of their many gigs. The talks from Tracy Chevalier, Rory Cellan-Jones, or Pablo Escobar’s son Roberto at the recent Book Festival would have been great excuses for some supper, a catch up, and a night stop.
But it is the commercial links with the local community that illustrate how this project is not just one based on building new things for profit, but one with values, including doing right by the local community.

The shops, bars and delicious eateries from the Harbour Arm to the old Goods Yard by the Swing Bridge are all local independent businesses: chefs, creators, designers and makers. From oysters at The Tasting Rooms to burgers at Hula’s Beach Shack. From your morning flat white at the Harbour Coffee Co. to a sunset craft beer at the Brewing Brothers Beachside taproom. They want these fledging businesses not just to fly but to soar. They also want to reinvest in the local community by employing local businesses where they can, just as they did when they hired Jenner to build Shoreline.

Like in the kitchen upstairs, the open plan sitting and dining area looks straight out over the sea.

Jenner are a progressive, award-winning construction company, and have been headquartered in Folkestone since 1875.
Shoreline is one of the cornerstones of this ambitious project. A modern residential crescent, presented in the convex, not the typical concave, of 84 stylish townhouses, apartments and penthouses that sits right on the beach and a 10-minute stroll from the Harbour Arm. Uniquely for a coastal development like this, there isn’t a road in front of it.

Not a car in sight. Walk out the door and you’re on the shingle. Open the curtains in the morning and all you see is the sea. And facing due south, you’ll enjoy every second of sunshine too.
Sustainability and longevity are central to its design and build. The glazed white bricks that adorn the exterior come from La Paloma in Spain and are made to withstand the caustic coastal environment.

But with a pleasing eye for the aesthetic these glazed bricks, on their curved elevation, change colour and texture with the light that each day, season and weather pattern brings. They’re also a nod to the white stucco Regency houses at the top of the Leas – an acknowledgement of the craftsmen and designers that have gone before.
Behind the brickwork sits supportive marine grade stainless steel – the stuff they use to build oil rigs and proven to prevent the corrosion and staining you see on lesser coastal buildings.

With triple glazed windows, non-flammable mineral wool insulation and mechanical heat recovery and ventilation, Shoreline has been designed to the highest thermal standards and to maximise energy efficiency. And if daily walks along the beach don’t clear out the cobwebs, each townhouse and apartment has an air filtration system providing fresh air throughout each home. With rainwater harvesting, LED lighting, EV charging, plentiful secure parking for bicycles and a communal boiler to provide more efficient heating for the apartments, Shoreline ticks – with a flourish – every environmental box, for those of us for whom living sustainably is an important factor in our next home.

It’s really comforting to know that the technology, AV connectivity and security built into each townhouse and apartment are also of the highest specification. As you would expect there’s the latest fibre broadband and access to Sky TV services. Crosswater fixtures and fittings feature in every bathroom, with Bosch, Siemens and Miele appliances integrated into the kitchens. Hikvision CCTV cameras have been installed across the site, with entrance security that includes lobby, gate and bollard control. There’s also a sprinkler system to provide protection against fire.

If you like to travel, these are homes that you can lock up and leave, without ever having to worry about a thing. And with Eurotunnel Le Shuttle on your doorstep, you may well find yourself travelling more. You can reach the Opal Coast of Northern France in about an hour and be lunching in Le Touquet shortly after. Alternatively, you could be well on your way to your favourite Alpine ski resort. The same high-speed rail line that takes you to France, will also whisk you off to Stratford, then London St Pancras, in under 60 minutes, making this a place that remote and hybrid workers should seriously consider putting on their most wanted list.

One of the bedrooms comes with a rear patio area.
One of the bedrooms comes with a rear patio area.

The 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom townhouse that we visited was one of two that you can rent for a couple of days or more through the lovely people at Bloom Stays, a boutique agency famed for their personal service, who specialise in holiday home and cottage rentals across Kent and Sussex. If Shoreline appeals, this is a great way to try before you buy.
We picked our keys up from the concierge – a service that’s in place to receive your Amazon or Ocado deliveries, manage maintenance, gardening and cleaning.

This will be invaluable when your friends and family want to borrow your place for a cheeky weekend away or, better still, offer you a house swap with their place in Ibiza.
When you first walk into this Shoreline townhouse, you’re struck by how the layout and full-height windows flood the rooms with light and make the most of the spectacular seascape views. The colour palette and textures – woven carpets, natural wood floors, slate and stone – reflect those of the coast, visually connecting the cosy interior to the pebble beach and sea beyond.

8 Holland Street, who did the interior design, have absolutely nailed the brief: stylish, contemporary beach house with surprising and pleasing details throughout. If you love lamps, their choice of lighting is particularly gratifying. The variety of elliptical and organic shaped shades, and the mix of floor standing and table lamps, mirrors the subtle, eclectic style that runs throughout. It’s completely charming.

You’ll notice some other nice touches just after you arrive. There’s covered parking for two cars on the lower ground floor plus a spacious utility room for all your clobber: bikes, paddle boards, kayaks etc. Upstairs, and set out over 5 split levels – three of which have lift access – are cosy bedrooms (three king size doubles and one bunk bedroom for the kids), large luxurious bathrooms and a spacious open plan

The ground floor, with kids bedroom, leads straight out onto the beach
The ground floor, with kids bedroom, leads straight out onto the beach

kitchen, dining, living room. Balconies, terraces – including one on the roof with breathtaking panoramic views, and a private, sheltered, communal garden to the rear – designed by Spacehub, will ensure that you’ll have every opportunity to live your best al fresco life. It’s fair to say that thanks to Sir Roger and the team behind Shoreline, Folkestone’s best days are very much ahead.

Address Book:

See bloomstays.com/property/shoreline-beach-house for holiday lets and shorelinefolkestone.co.uk for more information and sales enquiries

jenner-group.co.uk for construction,
8hollandstreet.com for interior design,
spacehubdesign.com/project/folkestone-shoreline/
for garden design,
rdhct.org.uk The Roger De Haan
Charitable Trust

For what’s on in Folkestone see
folkestoneseafront.com
folkestoneharbourarm.co.uk
creativefolkestone.org.uk


  • words:
  • pictures: David Merewether
  • location: Folkestone

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