Families in seaside town delivered another blow over ‘tinnitus inducing’ new flats after developers U-turn on promise to stop them being let as AirBnBs

Families in a seaside town who were told a controversial property development would not be used as AirBnBs are furious after the homes went up on the online rental site for £1,000 a night. 

Two beach properties at Shoreline Crescent in Folkestone, Kent, are now being advertised as a ‘luxurious holiday experience’.

The development previously made headlines for emitting a ‘tinnitus-inducing’ high-pitched whistling noise during strong winds, and was branded one of the ‘worst’ builds of 2023 by Private Eye.

Last year Sir Roger De Haan – the multi-millionaire behind the transformation of the town’s seafront – assured that the Shoreline properties wouldn’t be used as Airbnbs.

He told KentOnline: ‘They won’t be able to be used as Airbnbs at all. We’re putting covenants in the sale agreements that will prevent people doing that.’

But now a Shoreline spokesman has admitted: ‘The strategy at Shoreline Folkestone has evolved to allow short-term rental due to the strong demand from people wanting to experience beachside living in our great town for themselves.

Two beach properties at Shoreline Crescent (pictured) in Folkestone, Kent, are now being advertised on AirBnB and Booking.com

The inside of a property at Shoreline Crescent shows a modern and smart interior

A drone view of the newly developed properties in the seaside town of Folkestone 

Last year Sir Roger De Haan (pictured) – the multi-millionaire behind the transformation of the town’s seafront – assured that the Shoreline properties wouldn’t be used as Airbnbs

Two properties being advertised on Airbnb and Booking.com by Canterbury-based holiday letting agency Bloom Stays

‘We have put in place tangible measures to ensure that anyone renting properties do not adversely affect their neighbours or the wider local community and we are working with quality partners to manage the process.

‘We believe that guests staying at Shoreline will add significantly to the local economy, enjoying the town’s burgeoning restaurants, bars and cafes throughout the year and shopping locally.’

Both of the houses are being advertised on Airbnb and Booking.com by Canterbury-based holiday letting agency Bloom Stays.

A two-bed called The View is available for £526.25 a night, with a two-night minimum stay.

A bigger four-bedroom holiday let – The Beach House – is also open to stays, for an eye-watering £2,100 for two nights.

For the two-bed, August 8-14 has already been booked out.

The Beach House is occupied from August 1-15, and then again from August 23 to the 25. August 31 is also taken.

The eye-catching Shoreline Crescent has sparked huge debate in the town ever since work started in 2020 – particularly over the price of the properties.

The cheapest is £395,000, while the two-bed penthouse is the most expensive at £2.8million.

Bosses have remained tight-lipped when asked how many of the homes have sold so far.

Many locals were worried that the Shoreline homes would be empty for much of the year and end up being used as Airbnbs – but Sir Roger’s comments last year allayed those concerns.

The cheapest is £395,000, while a two-bed penthouse is the most expensive at £2.8million

A two-bed called The View is available for £526.25 a night, with a two-night minimum stay

Locals Sarah Clifton, 58, and Helen Filmer, 57, pictured outside the completed development 

Local Oliver Daw, 25, pictured outside the completed properties 

Sarah Rowling, 41, outside the completed shoreline development

Councillors in Folkestone have also raised concerns about the number of holiday lets in the town and called on owners to face new charges amid concerns they ‘don’t contribute’.

Now on Shoreline’s own website, the holiday rental element is being advertised as a try-before-you-buy initiative.

It says: ‘Experience the joys of living at Shoreline for yourself.

‘We have two beach houses literally ‘on the beach’ that you can rent for a weekend, a week or a month.

‘Each has amazing views, seafront terraces and the homes are luxuriously appointed for the ultimate coastal holiday.’

Shoreline Crescent was built by Sir Roger’s Folkestone Harbour and Seafront Development Company (FHSDC).

Shoreline is part of FHSDC’s wider 1000-home plan for the beach and harbour area, which has outline planning permission.

Original proposals for a huge development on the town’s harbour arm car park have also faced a backlash, but designs have since been made ‘simpler and more unified’.