Dismay as beach car park set to close for the entire summer

A 100-space seafront car park will be shut for the entire summer - sparking concerns a nearby community hub could be forced to close. Coast Drive car park in Greatstone on Romney Marsh will be out of bounds from May 5 until late October as construction begins on a new water sports venue, visitor centre and 93 beach huts. Folkestone and Hythe District Council says the six-month closure is necessary to “ensure public safety”.

But bosses of the popular Hub on the Beach - which neighbours the development site - say it would be “absolutely devastating” if they end up shutting down due to a lack of parking. It is feared patrons with mobility issues will be unable to access the cafe, exercise classes and peer support groups provided at the centre, which has had a “phenomenal public response” since opening in September. Liz Taylor, CEO of the Romney Marsh Community Hub charity, which runs the hub, said: “We had no idea how successful it would be and how much people have appreciated it being there.



“For us to potentially lose it because we have no parking is absolutely devastating. “My biggest concern is the people who have mobility issues who rely on being able to park close to come to us. “So we are going to monitor the situation, and if we notice we’re struggling to get people, we’ll see if we can set up a shuttle service from another car park.

” Plans were approved for FHDC’s Romney Marsh Coastal Destination project in June last year. Natural England requested that appropriate mitigation be secured to prevent the application from harming nearby protected and conservation areas. It was agreed that no construction can take place between November and February inclusive, to avoid impacting wintering birds.

The application also features plans for public toilets, changing rooms, a cafe and an education space. Beach huts painted in a spectrum of colours are also included, lining a 175-metre stretch of the coast. The district's waiting list stood at 700 last year.

A FHDC spokesperson said: “This scheme forms part of our wider commitment to bring regeneration and help boost the local economy across the entire district. “It includes a 121-space loose-stone surface car park with disabled spaces and electric charging points, public toilets, as well as new landscaping and planting. “When work starts, the car park will be closed and not able to be used to ensure public safety, until the work is completed at the end of October.

” They added that the nearest available spaces will be more than half a mile away at the Greatstone car park, opposite The Jolly Fisherman. New Romney Town Council has agreed to put forward part of The Greens, just off the Coast Drive car park’s access road, as a temporary parking area. The offer has since been conveyed to FHDC with a request for a site meeting.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal It would also require approval from Natural England due to the designation of The Greens as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. FHDC have been contacted for more information regarding the temporary parking..