This popular British seaside town is entering the next phase of a £20 million regeneration

Folkestone, which was named Time Out’s best place to visit in the UK in 2025, is soon going to get even better. The £20 million regeneration of the Kent seaside town is gaining ‘real momentum’, local councillors have said, with the next important phase of works set to begin soon. 

Folkestone & Hythe District Council began work on the major regeneration of the town centre in April 2025, with construction expected to finish by summer 2026. 

Under the proposals, Folkestone’s old and unsightly bus station in Bouverie Square is due to be replaced with a new park which councillors are calling a ‘green heart’ for the town. The new public place will transform the town centre into ‘a much more inviting space, including a play area, to be enjoyed by residents and visitors,’  Folkestone & Hythe District Council said. 

The square will receive new planting and ‘greenscaping’, while a new linear layout of the bus station will improve pedestrian safety. The one-way traffic system will be removed, limiting the flow of traffic along the southern side of Middelburg Square where the new bus stops will be located. 

According to the council’s website, the grand makeover is more than 40 percent complete. However, locals will have to put up with a bit of disruption for the time being. The area around the bus station has been closed off while the now-disused shelters are removed and planter walls demolished. The public toilets are also temporarily closed, with a plan to reopen them in the late spring. 

James Butcher, the council's cabinet member for place plan, heritage, tourism and district economy, said: ‘There is now real momentum with the Folkestone – A Brighter Future project and Bouverie Square is set to become a focal point for the community.

‘While there is short-term disruption, I'm pleased we can deliver refurbished toilets as part of this exciting next chapter.’

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