Billionaire philanthropist Roger de Haan has bestowed his home town with many things: an art centre, a creative quarter, a regenerated harbour full of cafes and restaurants and a sports ground. Now in a world first, the former Saga holiday and insurance group owner’s charitable trust has gifted Folkestone the world’s first multistorey skatepark.

Skating is traditionally a fringe activity making use of street features such as steps, natural ramps, ledges and the like. Many councils have built dedicated facilities, but skaters have great affection for adopted spaces such as the undercroft at the Southbank Centre in London, said to be the birthplace of UK skating and where redevelopment plans were scrapped after vocal opposition. But why build a multistorey skate park – and what does it take to realise such an unusual scheme?

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