Chilmington Green & Discovery Park Area Action Plan
The Chilmington Green & Discovery Park Area Action Plan
(AAP) document forms part of Ashford’s Local Development
Framework.
The
AAP
will set out the
key strategic development and design principles for the site and
the policies and parameters for land use, density, building heights
and the overall quantum of development. Chilmington Green is
identified in ABC's Core Strategy (policy CS5) as an urban
extension site which should be planned to accommodate no less than
3,350 dwellings and 600 jobs by 2020, with the potential for up to
7,000 dwellings and 1,000 jobs in total. This largely undeveloped
greenfield site therefore presents a significant opportunity to
bring forward a sustainable new community within easy access
of Ashford town centre and the new High-Speed services to Central
London. A key part of the
AAP
process will be the production of a masterplan for the development
of the area, to which development proposals will be expected to
accord.
Current Timetable
The key milestones and approximate timings for
the masterplanning and AAP process are:
- Production of masterplan for inclusion in the AAP: by December
2010
- Publication of AAP for 6 week public consultation: early
2011
- Submission of the AAP (to Secretary of State) & Outline
Planning Application (to ABC): Spring 2011
- Examination in Public (Assessment of the plan by an independent
Inspector): Summer 2011
- Adoption of AAP by ABC: Summer/ Autumn 2011
- Determination of Outline Planning Application by the Borough
Council: Summer/ Autumn 2011
Currently, work is being carried out by Gillespie's to
scope out the possible recreational uses for Discovery Park, one of
the three new strategic parks planned for Ashford. Discovery Park
will be located at Chilmington Green and will serve Ashford and the
wider area.
Work has now commenced on the masterplanning process. A full
technical team has been appointed by the developers, consisting of
masterplanners, landscape architects, urban designers, ecologists,
heritage and archaeology specialists, utilities and sustainability
specialists and transport planners. A public exhibition on the
masterplan options will be held later this year; further details
will be publicised in due course.
In conjunction with the preparation of the
AAP, a Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report
has been produced which assesses the economic, social and
environmental constraints of the proposed urban extension.
Issues and Options
A number of consultation events were carried out with key
stakeholders during 2007 which led to the production of a
Chilmington Green Issues and Options Paper. This paper gives
consideration to the objectives of the urban extension, the
opportunities and constraints of the site in relation to regional
and local policy, and other local strategies and initiatives. The
Issues Paper was not subjected to a formal public consultation
process but outlines all the issues which were raised through the
stakeholder consultation events.
Consultation
A series of consultation events have been carried out with
stakeholders and residents. An independently facilitated workshop
was held at the Singleton Environment Centre on 30/9/08 to provide
key stakeholders with an update on the Chilmington Green &
Discovery Park Area Action Plan process and give them an
opportunity to put their views and ideas across. Over 40
attendees took part in the workshop.
In February 2009, an independently facilitated two day design
workshop was held. The purpose was to reflect collectively on the
key issues from the previous workshop of 30th September 2008 and
work with experts to develop options alongside stakeholders with a
view to further developing the key principles for Chilmington
Green which were initially set out in the Greater Ashford
Development Framework (GADF) and subsequently in the Core Strategy.
Around 80 delegates participated in the workshops. The event
combined a series of short plenary and group 'learning
presentations', together with detailed discussions and design
workshops on key themes.
Recently, the Chilmington Green developers and landowners
appointed a masterplanning team and other technical specialists to
begin the process of comprehensively masterplanning the site area.
Non-statutory consultation (such as local exhibitions) will be
carried out with the local community as part of this work, and the
Chilmington Green Stakeholder Forum will continue to be involved
throughout the process. Details on forthcoming community events
will follow soon.
Chilmington Green Reports and
Presentations
Sustainable Energy
Arup have been commissioned by Ashford's Future to develop a
business case and seek practical solutions for sustainable energy
generation at the Chilmington Green urban extension to meet Ashford
Core Strategy Policy CS10.
Smartlink
The Core Strategy is clear that the urban extensions should
'anchor' a high quality, high frequency public transport system to
ensure that increasing numbers of residents are attracted to public
transport. The location, mix and density of new development to
create a viable and efficient public transport service will thus be
a key consideration within the masterplanning process. A rapid bus
service, called SMARTLINK, will run through the site, linking it
with Victoria Way, the town centre and Ashford International
Station. A park-and-ride facility is also proposed on the A28 which
will be subject to further viability testing.
Ashford's Future in partnership with Kent County Council have
produced a brochure outlining the purpose of Smartlink and the
proposed bus network, including bus lanes and bus priority
measures.
Further information on Smartlink is available on the Ashford
Best placed website, by following the link:
http://www.ashfordbestplaced.co.uk/live_here/transport_and_travel/smartlink.aspx
Contact Details
For further information on the Chilmington Green & Discovery
Park Area Action Plan, please contact Charlotte
Brooks-Lawrie or Carly Pettit on 01233 330638 or email the Policy Team.
This webpage was updated on
6/28/2010