Clearing the land of plant and animal life
Shepway Green Party has welcomed news that the ‘unwanted’ Princes Parade development in Hythe may not go ahead but has criticised Folkestone & Hythe District Council for ignoring warnings that the scheme was financially risky, which would have potentially saved it millions of pounds.
Councillor Jim Martin, Deputy Leader of the Green Group on the district council, said: “At last the council has seen sense. While recent financial turmoil and rising energy costs made it inevitable that council officers would recommend this pause in the scheme, anyone could have seen years ago that Princes Parade was too financially risky.
“We did see the risk, and we have continued to warn the council leader, David Monk, and other Conservatives but they were hell bent on proceeding, even choosing to ignore a vote in full council to withdraw planning approval in 2019.
Millions of pounds of taxpayers money wasted
“If, as it looks inevitable, the development is paused, then it is unlikely it will ever go ahead. While that’s welcome, four to five million pounds of council-tax payers’ money will have been wasted, causing huge challenges for the council in such already difficult times and the site will have been cleared of precious plant and animal life for nothing.”