Leas Lift, Folkestone

Grade II* listed Leas Lift was constructed in 1885 and is of great significance as one of only three water balanced funicular lifts in the country. It is a well known and much loved piece of Folkestone's fabric, located adjacent to the western tip of ACME's Folkestone Seafront Masterplan.

Project Details +

Project Details

Location: Folkestone, Kent

Client: Leas Lift CIO

Dates: 2022-Ongoing

Size: 850sqm

Credits +

Credits

Architecture - ACME (Alanoud Al Radaideh, Taro Bean, Mark Broom, James Denner, Friedrich Ludewig)

Heritage Architect - Malcolm Fryer Architects

Structure, Civils, Lift Engineering - Rapid Consulting

MEP & Sustainability - RCDC

Project Management - Faithful & Gould 

For more than a century Leas Lift carried passengers between Folkestone seafront and the promenade, providing a scenic ride down the 30m height of the Leas cliff. It is powered by weight of water stored in tanks below the cars.

In 2017 it closed because the owners at the time were unable to afford the required repairs.

With extensive community support, Folkestone Leas Lift Company Charity has secured round one National Lottery Heritage Fund development phase funding to enable this important restoration project to become a reality.

National Heritage Lottery Funding has been secured and we are progressing with the scheme in order to re-open Leas Lift in 2025.

See more information here

Articles

Heritage Fund 11.2023

TimeOut 11.2023

BBC News 11.2023

Kent Online 07.2023

Related Projects

Folkestone Harbour

Shoreline Crescent

Folkestone A

Castle Square