Moving to the Borough
Thinking of moving to Ashford? You're not alone. With some
31,000 new homes and 28,000 jobs planned for the next 25 years
Ashford is one of the fastest growing boroughs in the UK. Set amid
beautiful Kent countryside and with unrivalled road and rail links
to London and Europe, Ashford combines quality of life with
convenience.
Ashford is a thriving town where 85% of
residents value the quality of life. A multi-million pound
investment scheme is rapidly creating a town centre that will
combine modern shopping malls and pedestrianised streets with
first-class leisure facilities and popular cultural attractions
that complement Ashford’s existing heritage.
With house prices some seven per cent below the South east
average there has never been a better time to move
here. Whether you're relocating or moving within the borough,
these pages seek to answer many of your questions.
House Hunting?
Be it a starter home or a Kentish Oast house you're looking for,
Ashford has a healthy and varied housing market. If you're looking
to buy property in
Ashford local estate agents should be your first port of
call.
The Land Registry will give you
information on property prices in local authority areas.
If you want to take your first step on the housing ladder but
cannot afford a full mortgage there are a number of shared
ownership schemes for new homes in the borough. If you earn below a
certain amount you may be eligible to buy a share of a newbuild
property with an option to buy it outright at a later date. For
more information contact our partners Moat Housing.
For information on Council Housing view our Housing webpage.
Local Services
What are the schools and childcare facilities
like?
Schools and education in Ashford are run by
Kent County Council. Visit the Department for Education and
Employment Parents' Centre
for information on schools' academic results or contact
Kent County Council for further
information.
Where is the nearest doctor's surgery and how do I
register?
The East and Coastal Kent Primary
Care Trust has information on local GPs, hospitals,
dentists, pharmacists and other healthcare providers.
How much Council Tax will I pay?
Ashford
Borough Council has the lowest council tax rates in Kent. For
specific information visit our Council Tax section.
How often will my bins be collected?
For
this and other information on refuse recycling visit our Waste and Recycling
section.
Is Ashford Safe?
Latest Home Office
statistics show crime in Ashford is 60 per cent below the national
average. For more information visit Kent Police.
What are the shops like?
Ashford
Designer Outlet is one of Kent's most popular shopping
destinations while the County Square
shopping centre in the town centre is doubling in size.
Looking for a job?
Job Centre
Plus holds details of local vacancies. You can also visit our
vacancies
webpage.
More Ashford Borough Council Services at a Glance
You may want to know about:
Useful Websites
This webpage was updated on
8/7/2008