Ashford Borough Council are inviting views on their ‘Issues and Options’ Report for the Tenterden and the Rural Sites Development Plan Document.

The principle role of this plan will be to allocate new sites for development outside Ashford Growth area whilst also including a range of topic based planning policies which deal with specific rural planning issues.

The Issues and Options report highlights the main rural planning policy issues facing Ashford, whilst outlining the various options available to address theses issues. It represents an early opportunity for you to let the Council know your opinion and help influence the contents of the document.

The report also follows a series of rural community workshops, held at Charing, Hothfield, Chilham, Bethersden, Biddenden, Aldington, Tenterden, High Halden, Woodchurch, Rolvenden, Wye, Challock and Hamstreet.

The workshops included a cross-section of local residents and organisations, invited by the local Parish or Town Council and discussed the main planning issues affecting their communities, including which potential areas in their village might be suitable for new development.

The 'Issues and Options' Report highlights all of the workshop’s outcomes and provides the opportunity for members of the public, who were not involved in the workshops, to have their say about these outcomes.

The Issues and Options Report will be out for consultation from the 16 May to 27 June and can be viewed and commented on online on our Consultation Portal.

Alternatively you can view a hard copy of the report at the Civic Centre, and Ashford, Charing, Wye, Tenterden Libraries. Hard copies will be also available to purchase by calling 01233 330229.

Media Release 0130/08

15/05/2008