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Grant of £75,550 to Dover Arts Development for new 21st century coastal architecture trail

An art group has been given £75,000 to create a unique 17-mile architectural trail.

The money will pay for CHALKUP21 which goes from Capel-le-Ferne to Deal and takes in key 21st century sites such Dover Sea Sports Centre at The Esplanade and the National Trust visitor centre at Langdon.

Dover Arts Development Ltd has been awarded exactly £75,550.

Dover Sea Sports Centre.
Dover Sea Sports Centre.

It has received £57,050 from the Arts Council of England and another £18,500 from local partner groups such as Dover Town Council.

The trail, which can be walked or cycled, passes examples of award-winning coastal architecture built along the Dover Strait in the last 17 years.

All buildings and structures are linked by areas of outstanding natural beauty such as the White Cliffs of Dover and Samphire Hoe.

The Wing at Capel-le-Ferne. Picture courtesy of Battle of Britain Memorial Trust.
The Wing at Capel-le-Ferne. Picture courtesy of Battle of Britain Memorial Trust.

The remaining ones are The Wing at the National Memorial to the Few at Capel and Samphire Hoe Education Centre, plus the Three Waves paving design and North Downs Way start/finish marker, both at Dover seafront.

The remaining three are the Pines Calyx conference and events venue at St Margaret’s Bay, the Deal Pier Cafe and a new public artwork, Gateway to the Cliffs due to be installed this year at Athol Terrace, Dover.

Many of the structures have striking features, for example the Samphire Hoe centre has outer walls made from recycled railway carriages originally used in the Eurotunnel terminal.

Samphire Hoe Country Park itself is reclaimed land made of chalk marl from diggings during the Channel Tunnel at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s.

Sites on the new architecture trail.
Sites on the new architecture trail.

The trail is seen as a tourism asset and Diederik Smet, manager of Destination Dover, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Dover to showcase and celebrate its notable 21st century architectural offer.”

The trail is expected to be completed in December 2018 and a series of events will be led by artists in the run-up.

These will be announced as the trail develops.

A spokesman for Arts Council England said: “Dover Arts Development have an excellent track record and this project fits well with their inclusive approach to arts activity.

“Through this project, as with most of their projects, they are engaging highly experienced, international artists, working locally with existing talent.”

Joanna Jones, co-director of Dover Arts Development, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the chance to develop CHALKUP21.

“With more buildings planned on Dover’s waterfront over the next years we hope that the exceptional quality of vision and finish of the CHALKUP21 attractions will continue and keep building the reputation of Dover for outstanding 21st century coastal architecture.”

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