Kentish Express Ashford & District
Rare look at unkempt racecourse
With the former Folkestone Racecourse set to become part of the huge Otterpool Park housing development, reporter Alex Jee was allowed a rare look around the once-magnificent site
Left sprawled in disrepair, a quick glance will show you just how badly the racecourse appears to be wearing since it closed in 2012. As I was led by my guides through the long grass and around flooded ditches and divots, I found myself trying to imagine the heart-pounding spectacles that took place over the Westenhanger course’s long history.
While the buildings are still standing, they are looking so frail and forlorn that it is almost surprising a stiff breeze hasn’t managed to flatten them, let alone the two storms that passed through the area recently.
Meanwhile, the racecourse ground has been reclaimed by the grass and weeds, some of which are pressing themselves through the concrete as nature looks to explore the land it lost in the 19th century.
While a sad sight, and no doubt one felt all the more keenly by racing fans and regular attendees at the track, it is almost a marvel to see how quickly and brutally a landmark that stood for more than 114 years can fall to rack and ruin.
The weather and wear of time has particularly taken its toll on the wooden front of the grandstand closest to the finishing line, with panels missing and weatherboard exposed.
There is even still a sign up for The War and Peace Revival, which was held at the track between 2013 and 2016, before returning to its original venue at The Hop Farm.
The story is a little different behind the main stand, with the attractive paddock and water feature still lovingly maintained, at least as far as cutting the grass and maintaining shrubbery.
And any impression of time’s passing was almost lost completely when we were allowed access into the main stand - the first time any media organisation has been allowed into the building for years.
Looking at the outside of the main stand would make you think the inside would be bare, bleak and desolate, but this could not be further from the case.
All of the signs are still up and untouched by age, the alarms for the fire doors are still working - believe me - and if you were to give the ground floor a quick sweep and the windows a wipe down, it would look almost as good as new.
The hospitality suite looks like it could have been abandoned a matter of weeks before our visit, even to the point where there are still televisions attached to the walls.
It almost gives the impression there was some apocalyptic event that led to the thousands of people who passed through the building fleeing back to their cars.
The TV cables hang down as if they were unplugged in a hurry, but if you were to plug them back in and put a few tables and chairs in the room, it would almost seem back to normal.
It is that quite frankly bizarre effect that makes it much easier to imagine the racecourse’s past rather than its future.
Looking out from the balcony of the main stand, it was extremely difficult to imagine the plans that Otterpool Park spokesman Andy Jarrett showed me put into reality.
If approved, the bold ‘garden town’ scheme is set to include up to 10,000 homes, roads, buildings, parks and open spaces stretching as far as the eye can see.
The project, which is being headed up by Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC), will see 10,000 homes built far beyond the A20 which forms part of the boundary of the land belonging to the course.
The racecourse will, in fact, become host to the project’s town centre due to its position right next to Westenhanger station, while bosses say a large amount of parkland and open space will also feature.
FHDC bought the site from Cozumel Estates for £25 million last month, in a deal which included the freehold of the former racecourse and several houses - which added up to about 200 acres in total.
Last year, an outline planning application for the first 8,500 homes was submitted, but a decision on the scheme is yet to be made.
Mr Jarrett is very keen to emphasise the construction of Otterpool Park will include an appropriate memorial of some form to the course and that the developers are still looking at ways to accomplish this.
He said: “We know that doing something to make sure we keep the history of a place like the racetrack is very important.
“We have asked the landscape architect for something physical as a reminder for people, and we will be con
‘It is that quite frankly bizarre effect that makes it much easier to imagine the racecourse’s past rather than its future’
necting up with Creative Folkestone to see what sort of creative thinking they can bring into the process.”
He is also hoping the plan’s pledge to increase biodiversity and introduce parks and open spaces will combat any fears that the public may have about the building project.
increase biodiversity by 20% by protecting important habitats and introducing new ones that may have been impacted by farming and construction.
“By opening the area up to parks and gardens we hope to improve that significantly, we have a target of over 50% open space, and there is a lot of scope for connectivity from a habitat perspective.”
This land spent 114 years as an active racecourse, and eight years to fall apart.
Now - if all plans are approved and the developers get their wish - it is set to take 30 years to become Otterpool Park.
Whatever happens, the memory of this amazing track and all of the history that goes with it has to be preserved.