Otterpool Park is a proposed new town which may eventually have 10,000 homes. The development will surround Westenhanger and Newingreen in this Parish and Barrowhill in neighbouring Sellindge. The first part to be built is on the former Folkestone Racecourse, almost entirely within Stanford Parish.

Folkestone & Hythe District’s Planning Committee resolved to grant outline planning permission in April 2023 and formal consent is expected to be issued before the end of 2023. Following that, further planning applications will be submitted by Otterpool Park LLP and housebuilders for ‘reserved matters’ and each will need consent before construction can begin.

As a start on actual construction work on Otterpool Park creeps nearer, we will endeavour to keep residents informed of what’s likely to be happening.

Construction is planned to start first on the ‘Town Centre’ which is just west of Westenhanger.  Nothing significant can be done before ‘reserved matters’ approval which will be a while yet but ground investigations started in July 2023 and some advanced tree planting may happen in the autumn.

We will post what we learn from OPLLP here and/or on the Events calendar.

Cllrs Graham Horner (Kennett House, Kennett Lane) and Peter Bebbington (Bebden House, Westenhanger) are this council’s contacts with OPLLP and meet them regularly.  Please contact either of them or the Clerk, Denise Alchin, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions about Otterpool Park. There is also a liaison group of all the parishes affected on which Cllr David Howse (Medhurst, Kennett Lane) sits. All of us are working hard to get the best outcome from this project and to ensure it’s not ‘just another housing estate gobbling up precious countryside’.