Economic Development
Our Economic Development department supports all existing
business in Ashford, the start up of new businesses and looks to
attract new businesses to the area. We support key development and
business projects and the planning process, contributing to the
creation of a business environment that can deliver the growth
target of creating 28,000 new jobs in Ashford by 2031.
Some of the current projects we are involved in include:
-
Junction 9
The Junction 9/Drovers Roundabout scheme directly unlocks
delivery of up to 10,000 new homes and 5,000 new jobs. The work
that started in June 2010 will also develop the A28 and allow
expansion into Chilmington Green and Discovery park
where around 6,000 of the houses will be created
-
Elwick Place
A 2.6 hectare development site. This area south of the town centre
offers the opportunity to create a potential mixed-use development
in excess of 54,000 m² featuring retail, leisure facilities,
offices and residential accommodation. The site is being taken
forward through a joint venture parternership between SEEDA and
Stanhope PLC
- Eureka
Park
A business park at Junction 9 of the M20, with 300,000 sq ft
of built business space with outline consent for a further 1.1
million sq ft. Businesses already based at Eureka Park include
Coty, Inca, Planit, Brakes, Commidea, Invicta Foods and Eastern and
Coastal PCT
- Victoria Way
Victoria Way is a road
linking the train station to the south of Ashford to the A28 and
was started in June 2010 and opened in November 2011. The
scheme will support the delivery of 1,323 homes and approximately
1,100 jobs, opening up the development potential of the Southern
Expansion Quarter of the town centre.
- Tenterden
Improved
Set up to support Tenterden as a visitor destination, the Tenterden
Improved project includes Tentertainment, a
summer food and music festival,
the Christmas Festival and public realm improvements in the town
centre.
-
Commercial Quarter
A 16 acre site that has been allocated in the Ashford Town Centre
Area Action Plan to become a dynamic new main business sector for
the town stimulating major investment opportunities in new large
scale office space (55,000m²) that exploits the excellent strategic
rail links, playing a leading role in job creation in the
town.
-
Ashford Best Loyalty Card
A loyalty card scheme that rewards local residents who shop
‘locally’ in Ashford through the offer of discounts at a wide range
of shops and businesses. The scheme promotes Ashford as the first
choice shopping destination for local residents and highlights the
diverse and cosmopolitan retail offer available in the town
centre.
For more information on development projects in Ashford please
see the Ashford
Development Update.
This webpage was updated on
11/17/2011