News

.... a weekly column from Michael Howard MP

12 April 2007

 

Whenever I speak to a business group in the constituency I talk about the existing opportunities that lie ahead. But, of course, these opportunities are not just of interest and importance to business; they affect us all.

So perhaps, as we enter a new financial year, it is time to take stock.

In Folkestone, the Town Centre Development is nearing completion. I know that it seems to have taken forever and in truth it has taken a long time. But now we are almost there and I am convinced that it will make a considerable difference to Folkestone as a whole.

And, of course, it is not the only thing that is happening. The Creative Quarter is going from strength to strength, the new market at the harbour is proving a great success and we are within weeks of the opening of the new university.

Looking further ahead we have the enormously exciting development of the seafront to look forward to and, in 2009, the opening of the domestic High Speed Rail Link to London which so many of us have worked so hard to bring about.

There are developments outside Folkestone, too. Some of them, like the proposed expansion of the airport at Lydd, are very controversial. But, taken as a whole, I think they represent a bright future for our area.

The word that is often used to describe all these developments is regeneration. One of the most encouraging things to have happened in recent times is the increasing extent to which this is seen as a partnership, involving all relevant groups working together.

The Shepway Economic Regeneration Partnership, which I helped to found, is a very good example of this. SERP, which is now chaired very energetically by Philip Carter, is helping to develop a comprehensive economic strategy to address all the key issues that face the district and is also analysing job prospects and addressing the skills shortages that continue to exist in many sectors.

There will undoubtedly be many challenges ahead. But considerable progress is being made and I am more confident of the future of our area than I have been for some time.