Road of Remembrance, Folkestone

On 27 January 2024, a landslip occurred on private land north of the Road of Remembrance, blocking the road with trees and soil. We immediately closed the road on safety grounds and to protect the public from future landslips before removing trees and soil.

Our priority is to only open up the road once the embankment has been stabilised and it is safe to do so.

This has been an unplanned, complex situation, made more difficult by encountering a variety of unexpected challenges that we have had to overcome. These include:

further landslips
discovery of a protected species within the embankment, leading to our involvement in an in-depth ecology survey
archaeology teams needing to be present on site after Anglo Saxon remains were found which required archaeology teams to be present on site
protection of a war bunker that sits within the site
close proximity of private properties at the crest of the slope
the slipped land being privately owned.

We are, however, working as quickly as possible to get to the point where we can stabilise the embankment.

What we've done so far

A lot of technical and complex work has been done on site. Ground investigation works to assess the condition of the embankment have included:

topographic surveys
WW2 Bunker survey, including a private property cellar at the top of the slope
Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) survey (non-invasive method of mapping the underground features)
geotechnical surveys of the slope face to assess condition
boreholes to identify makeup of ground 20m below service
Cone Penetration Tests (CPT) which test the strength of the ground.

These investigations were carried out during September and October 2024 and are now being reviewed as part of the solution to stabilise the embankment.

A technical solution has been designed and is currently going through third party checks, including checking this with the private properties near the slope. Once finalised, construction will take approximately 6 to 7 months and, if funding can be identified, we aim to complete these works during the warmer months of the year.

Protected species are being monitored and will continue to be monitored by our ecologist throughout the project. Archaeologists will be on site monitoring the removed ground when works are underway.

What we're doing next

A design has been received which we are mostly happy with. It is currently going through third party checks, and has been looked at with the private properties near the slope.

The design involves the installation of reinforced soil nails that are used to support unstable natural slopes.

This design has a lifespan of 120 years, so residents can be certain of the safety of the road for many years to come.

We are also in constant communication with the landowners at the top of the embankment to ensure necessary access for current and future work. We thank them for their continuous support.

Timescales

The road closure has been extended until the 1 February 2026. This is simply an administrative process, as part of the formal road closure. It is not an indication of when the road will reopen.

This has been an unplanned, complex situation, and has been met with a variety of unexpected challenges. We are having to deal with all problems on a reactive basis, and are working as quickly as possible to stabilise the embankment.

Technical approvals and costing are underway in anticipation of securing of a specialist contractor to undertake the remedial work. As such, it is not yet possible to commit to a start date for the stabilisation work or to confirm when the road will reopen.

Road closure and diversion route

Signed diversion routes are in place.

View the diversion route on our roadworks map.

Pedestrians should use the High Street as a diversion in both directions.

Last updated: 4 June 2025

Folkestone events

We are aware that events taking place over the coming months will be affected by this closure. We advise event organisers to get in touch with Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) via Apply4. We are working closely with event organisers and FHDC to support with route changes.

We understand the Road of Remembrance closure is a huge inconvenience to residents and businesses of Folkestone and we apologise for the disruption caused, however our priority is public safety, which we take very seriously.

A substantial amount of technical and complex work has taken place on and off the site, and we are working as quickly as possible to finalise a design to permanently stabilise the embankment.

We are grateful to the Folkestone residents and businesses for their continued patience.

We cannot provide any further updates on how long we will close the road for, or how we will remedy the situation. If you have any concerns about the effect on your property or business, contact your insurer.