Christmas is nearly here - and now is a wonderful time to enjoy the great places to visit and things to do in White Cliffs Country.

Events are being organised by a whole range of partners, including the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership based at DDC.

It's a great time to be kind to the environment too, by remembering to recycle. We've confirmed our seasonal recycling and waste collections, please note changed days on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Don't forget, there's also free parking in DDC off-street car parks on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

• More on Christmas Arrangements

A tree-mendous range of improvements are taking place on Deal Pier, as part of a major £1m revamp of the popular local attraction.

As well as a range of regeneration works, recent additions have included a new bespoke art-deco style clock and a new digital media screen to display a variety of local information. We are also fitting new LED lighting, and adding a festive cheer to the pier this year, DDC has also unveiled an 18 foot Christmas tree on the pier apron.

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A couple are in their new home in Capel-le-Ferne in time for Christmas - and they have been welcomed in as the buyers of the first DDC shared ownership home. The property is one of three homes in George Close as part of the first shared ownership scheme DDC has entered into to help first time buyers get onto the housing ladder.

• More on shared ownership homes

A new cafe/bar in Sandwich is welcoming news that it's one of the latest businesses to be awarded a grant under DDC's Town Centre Business Grant scheme.

DDC's Town Centre Business Grant scheme offers grants of up to £10,000 to help bring commercial properties back into use, or up to £1,000 to upgrade or improve commercial properties in designated town centre areas in Dover, Deal and Sandwich.

• Town Centre Business Grants

A major £2.5m redevelopment has been completed at Norman Tailyour House in Deal. The official handover of the fully renovated self-contained sheltered Council flats to DDC has taken place.

The renovated Council-owned building includes 16 one-bedroom flats and 2 two-bedroom flats in a supported housing environment.  The flats have been designed to meet modern standards with facilities appropriate to the needs of older and disabled people.

• More on Norman Tailyour House

A major scheme to bring empty properties back into use in the area has been given a key boost - following news that DDC has agreed to another £300K to support 'top-up' loans under KCC's No Use Empty initiative.

The No Use Empty scheme provides property owners with interest-free loans of up to £25K per unit of accommodation to bring empty homes back into use. DDC supports NUE and offers an additional £15K top-up loan, making a total of £40K available per unit locally.

• More on No Use Empty top-up

Work on a major £1m investment in street lighting in the district has started, to help provide a brighter, safer and more environmentally friendly way forward. 

This includes the replacement of over 2,500 street light lanterns and 200 lighting columns. DDC has appointed contractors to replace the traditional street lights with new energy saving LEDs, and has projected a 70% energy saving as a result.

• More on street lights

Plans for a Dover Fastrack bus priority scheme to link new housing and commercial development at Whitfield with the former Connaught Barracks site, Dover town centre and Dover Priory railway station have taken a major step forward.

A successful application to the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund will see over £16m invested in the scheme, designed to unlock new housing development.  The Dover Fastrack will be the second bus rapid transit system in Kent and building on the success of the Dartford & Gravesham Fastrack.

We are currently working with KCC and Stagecoach on the detailed design work for the scheme. Further details, including the proposed route will be published early in the New Year when we’ll be seeking your views on the scheme. For the latest information, sign up for updates on Keep Me Posted.       

• More on Keep Me Posted          

As winter sets in, Dover District Council is working to help ensure that residents and businesses are ready for the season.

A wide range of information about all things winter-related is available on our 'winter ready' page.

This includes advice on what to do in an emergency, driving in winter, and keeping yourself healthy to make sure you stay well.

• More on getting winter ready

We continue to work closely with partner agencies, including KCC and the Kent Resilience Forum, to prepare for Brexit.

If you’re an EU citizen living in the district, you need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to protect the rights you currently have in the UK. The scheme is a free online process and you have until at least 31 December 2020 to apply. For more information, including local support available, please see our Brexit pages. 

• More on Brexit