Cliff works on Folkestone’s Road of Remembrance to reopen route by spring 2027

Folkestone’s Road of Remembrance should reopen by late spring 2027 — more than three years after a landslip buried it under soil and vegetation and left the cliff face too dangerous to use. Kent County Council has confirmed a £5 million scheme is now under way to make the hillside safe again.

The work involves drilling nearly 1,000 steel bars — soil nails, in the trade — into the hillside to pin the ground in place. Each one goes between 5 and 14 metres into the earth. Installation takes between 30 and 60 minutes per nail, using specialist drilling equipment, steel reinforcement and grouting. Around 200 are already completed. KCC describes it as one of the largest and most complex engineering schemes currently underway in Kent, which, given Kent’s road network, is saying something.

The road carries real weight for this town. Thousands of soldiers marched down it during the First World War, heading for the harbour and the boats to France. Marian, who lives at the top of the cliff and watches the works from her window, said her father was killed in Italy during the Second World War — and that generations of Folkestone families had relatives who walked that same route to the ships. She said the importance of the road “being rejuvenated and being remembered as it should be” matters deeply to her, adding: “It should be one of the things people are aware of when they come to visit the town.”

Not an easy site to work on. A steep cliff face, homes close by, and a surrounding environment that needs protecting have made this genuinely complicated. But Marian said council staff and the contractor CAN had been “so upfront” in keeping her informed. She’d got to know them well, she said, despite the disruption of living next to a major construction site.

Peter Osborne, KCC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said this is “not just another road” but an important part of Folkestone’s history, valued by residents, businesses and visitors alike. He thanked residents for their patience and singled out Marian for particular praise, saying: “Most people would have given up and moved out, but not Marian. She loves us for some reason, and we love her too.”

Once the soil nailing is complete, protective mesh and surface coverings will be fitted to stop loose material falling onto the road and guard against weather erosion. Resurfacing follows. Then, finally, it reopens.

Key information

• Road closed since: January 2024, following a landslip
• Targeted reopening: Late spring 2027
• Project cost: £5 million
• Responsible authority: Kent County Council Highways and Transport