With the London Resort plans scrapped, let’s explore ten ambitious projects in Kent that never saw the light of day
Swanscombe: So, the big dream of a massive entertainment park in north Kent is officially off the table. It’s a bummer, right? But it got me thinking about other grand ideas for Kent that never quite made it.
There were some wild proposals, like a bridge over the English Channel connecting Dover to Calais. Can you imagine? And then there was that 200-foot statue of Winston Churchill planned for the White Cliffs. Talk about ambitious!
Let’s not forget the London Resort, which was supposed to be built on the Swanscombe Peninsula. It was a big deal, but now it’s just another “what could have been.”
First up, there was this £39 billion airport idea on the Goodwin Sands. Yeah, that’s right, a whole airport in the sea! It was pitched back in 2012 but was quickly dismissed as a “publicity stunt.”
Then there was the infamous ‘Boris Island’ plan for a four-runway airport on the Hoo Peninsula. It got shot down for being impractical and too costly. Even Boris Johnson had to let that one go.
And who could forget the idea of a bridge across the Channel? Boris floated that one in 2018, but experts were like, “Nah, that’s not happening.”
After Churchill’s victory in WWII, there were talks of a massive carving of his face on the White Cliffs. They even raised £50,000 for it! But sadly, it never came to life.
In 2016, there was a plan for a giant Roman centurion statue in Dover. It had support but was ultimately scrapped because, well, seagulls might sit on it. Seriously!
Herne Bay had its own dreams too, with a giant heron sculpture that was supposed to be powered by the tide. It’s been eight years, and that idea is still stuck on the drawing board.
And let’s not forget the luxury hotel idea on the Red Sands sea forts. It was supposed to be a billionaires’ playground, but the funding fell through. Bummer!
In 2009, they even tried to put a Hollywood-style sign in Borstal, but it was taken down after just four days. Talk about a flop!
Oh, and there was a plan for a floating lap dancing club in Maidstone. That one got a lot of backlash and never got off the ground.
Finally, there was the Angel of the South, a massive horse sculpture in Ebbsfleet. It got planning permission but never got built because costs skyrocketed. What a shame!
So, there you have it! Kent has had its fair share of wild ideas that just didn’t pan out. It’s fun to think about what could have been, even if they never saw the light of day.
