A FLAGSHIP regeneration scheme for one of Dover's most deprived areas may be shelved, the Express can reveal.

Work on the vaunted Coombe Valley Regeneration Initiative has been halted by the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) while it conducts a sweeping appraisal of its projects in readiness for the likely funding cuts to come out of the Government's public spending review in the autumn.

Government departments have been asked to find cuts of at least 25 per cent, meaning schemes like Coombe Valley in St Radigund's, previously considered sacred cows, will now need a compelling case to be considered ahead of other housing and regeneration projects in east Kent.

District council leader Paul Watkins said a number of schemes could face the chop as the HCA instructs Kent authorities to thrash out a local investment plan detailing priorities for the region as a whole rather than individual projects.

He said: "What I think you will see is that some schemes will be severely delayed or discontinued."

With St Radigund's easily within the 10 per cent most deprived wards in the country, the plan for Coombe Valley was to reinvigorate its economic, social, physical and environmental landscape.

However, following a public consultation in May last year, work was stopped at the master-planning stage, which should have been completed at the start of this year.

Based on the feedback, consultants ARUP drew up a list of nine objectives for regeneration and a map detailing seven sites in Coombe Valley where these could be achieved.

This included improving the appearance of the junction at Coombe Valley Road and London Road and building an architectural landmark near the railway bridge.

Mayor of Dover Sue Jones, who lives in St Radigund's, said she has always been sceptical about the project.

She said: "I don't think we as residents ever had high hopes in the first place because of the special issues within Coombe Valley, specifically the railway bridge. Look at the problems we are now having because Coombe Valley is shut."

Cllr Watkins said the issue is further complicated by the intention of the Primary Care Trust to build a new polyclinic at the Buckland Hospital site in Coombe Valley Road.

Under the East Kent Local Strategic Partnership, Dover, Canterbury, Shepway, Thanet, and Kent County Council met for the first time last week to start drawing up their investment priorities, to be submitted en bloc to the HCA.

Tory Mr Watkins believes Dover is in a strong position to get its projects through.

He said: "Of the local authorities in east Kent, we have an approved core strategy for planning purposes, therefore other local authorities have some catching up to achieve this or fit in with the new planning process."

Other local schemes under the HCA include Connaught Barracks, Deal's Cannon Street and the expansion of Aylesham – with work on each started in some form.

Simon Bandy, HCA area manager for Kent, confirmed Connaught Barracks will be included in the plan.

He added: "At the moment Coombe Valley has potential to deliver new housing to regenerate the town. It's up to Dover to say that's a priority."