Hundreds of opponents to a divisive seafront development are demanding the "financially reckless" scheme is scrapped in its entirety.

A petition organised by campaigners fighting the plans for a leisure centre, houses and commercial properties at Princes Parade at Hythe will be considered by the district council when it meets on Wednesday.

It comes after council leader David Monk decided, on the recommendation of the authority's chief executive, to halt all spending on the project.

Turmoil in the leisure, energy and financial markets has been blamed for spiralling bills which mean the regeneration of the site cannot be delivered within existing budgets.

The simple one-line petition - which has been signed by more than 300 people - requests that "development at Princes Parade is abandoned" because it is "financially reckless to continue".

Any petition signed by more than 250 is eligible to be presented to a meeting of the full council.

Campaigner Chris Farrell, who organised the latest petition, said: "The people of Hythe made it clear at the last local election that they did not want Princes Parade built on, they did not want the road moved and they certainly did not want to be dictated to by councillors who neither live in Hythe nor represent the people of Hythe.

"Princes Parade, a location loved by the local community, has been left as a rubbish strewn, muddy mess surrounded by two miles of white hoarding bought at vast expense by Folkestone and Hythe District Council.

"The hoarding's only function now is to serve as a monument to the arrogance and incompetence of those councillors who supported this doomed project."

Folkestone and Hythe District Council, which is driving the scheme, has put spending on hold to allow officials to reassess the proposals in light of recent financial shocks.

Freedom Leisure, which has been selected to operate the new sports centre on the site, says energy costs have increased by 110% for electricity and 184% for gas in the year since it tendered for the work.

The council has also seen its cost of borrowing leap from 2% to 5% following the calamitous 'mini-budget' which brought down the Truss administration.

According to the report advocating the pause is spending, it is anticipated that if the project does not proceed the council would suffer a financial loss in the region of £4-5 million.

Speaking at the time of the decision to pause spending, Cllr Tim Prater (LibDem), who has been an outspoken critic of the scheme, insisted it is not too late for the council to rethink in light of the changed economic circumstances.

He said: "I've lost count of the times since 2019 that we've said that the Princes Parade development is not just the wrong thing to do environmentally and ecologically, it's also massively expensive and hugely risky.

"Although I don't like to say we told them so, we really, really did. Repeatedly.

"And finally, as the costs keep spiralling and the economic position worsens, it seems that even the council leadership is starting to understand."

The proposal to redevelop at Princes Parade has been long fought, with campaigners trying to halt the scheme for years and even launching Judicial Review. This was lost however, as was an appeal.

Work started on the land, a former waste site, in 2021 with vegetation cleared and animals relocated, including moving badgers to a new artificial sett.

In total, 150 homes are proposed, as well as the new leisure centre, shops and open spaces.

A widened, traffic-free promenade is also proposed, and the road itself will be stopped up and moved closer to the Royal Military Canal.