Archaeology and contamination details at Offices, Bus Station, Bouverie Square, Folkestone
Summary of planning committee decision
Decided by Shepway Planning and Licensing Committee on 9 Sept 2025.
What was proposed
Approval was sought for archaeology and contamination details required by conditions attached to permission for the site’s approved development.
“A site location plan is attached to this report as Appendix 1. Proposal 3.1. Approval is sought for details submitted pursuant to conditions 4 (archaeology) and 5 (contamination) of planning permission 24/1650/FH. The full wording of the conditions is as follows:”
Officer report
The site
The application site is an operational bus station with permission for change of use and associated development as an outdoor park.
“The application site is an operational bus station which benefits from planning permission (24/1640/FH) for a change of use and associated development to an outdoor park.”
Officer report
Earlier permission
The relevant planning history is permission for changing the existing bus station into an outdoor park with new surfaces, seating and landscaping.
“24/1650/FH Change of use of existing Bus Station to outdoor park, including construction of new surfaces, seating areas and hard and soft landscaping Approved with conditions.”
Officer report
Consultation responses
The County Archaeologist raised no objection, and the contamination consultant accepted the preliminary and investigation reports while reviewing the remediation strategy.
“Consultation 5.1. The consultation responses are summarised below.”
“Consultees KCC County Archaeologist: No objection. Content that part (A) of the condition can be approved. IDOM: This company is used by the planning department to provide advice on matters relating to contamination. In relation to condition 5, they advise that the preliminary study and ground investigation reports are sufficient to enable parts (A) and (B) of the condition to be approved.”
Officer report
Public comments
One representation commented on archaeology and mitigation for proposals on Guildhall Street, while no ward member comments were received.
“Public/Neighbour Consultation 5.2. Local residents are not formally consulted on applications to discharge conditions pursuant to planning approvals because these types of applications relate to technical details only. Notwithstanding this, 1 representation has been received, commenting on the archaeological information and mitigation for proposals for Guildhall Street.”
Officer report
The committee’s decision
After being told the contamination consultant accepted the remediation strategy, the committee approved the archaeology and contamination details.
“The Strategic Sites Development Manager advised the Committee that advice had been received from the Council’s contamination consultant that the remediation strategy submitted is acceptable, and sufficient for approval in relation to Part C of Condition 5. This was the only outstanding matter not covered in the report and means that the officers’ recommendation can now be to approve the details.”
“That conditions 4 (Part A) and 5 (Parts A, B and C) be approved in accordance with the details and documents provided.”
Minutes
Sources
- Shepway Planning and Licensing Committee minutes, 9 September 2025
- Agenda and papers (council website)
Source: Plota analysis of Shepway's committee minutes and officer report. Quotations are the council's own words; headings and summaries are Plota's.
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See the API →At the meeting
- Council
- Shepway
- Date
- Tuesday 9 September 2025
- Recommendation
- Officers recommended approval
- Committee decided
- Approved
- Vote
- 12 for, 0 against
- Minutes
- The council's minutes
- Meeting
- Agenda and papers (council website)
- Application
- The application (council website)
- All decisions
- Shepway committee decisions →
Source: Plota analysis of the minutes.