January 2009
Welcome to issue 15 of Ashford Borough Council’s Development
Ashford Town Centre Planning and Development
Ashford Town Centre must play a crucial role in delivering sustainable growth to Ashford and the rest of the Borough. Its success in providing a large proportion of the new jobs required to support Ashford’s population growth is fundamental to the overall success of the growth agenda. It will need to function as an employment, retail, leisure, service and civic centre for a population nearly double the current size. The list below provides the latest news on major developments within Ashford Town Centre.
To find out more information about a particular case, including viewing the application, please use the case number in brackets at the end of each site and view them on the Planning Applications webpage.
- Ashford Working Mens Club, Station Road
– Completed (06/02438/AS)
Work is now complete on the building in Station Road to convert it into 11 residential flats and a ground floor restaurant.
- East / West Street, Ashford Town Centre - Under
Construction (06/01501/AS and 08/00633/AS)
46 residential flats and 2 houses at 17 and 19 East Street are now under construction, a further application for a revised design to car park, and retention of 17 and 19 East Street in lieu of 2 of the houses that were to be demolished has been received.
- Charter House, Park Street – Planning Permission
Granted (08/00396/AS)
The application for the conversion and extension of Charter House to provide 224 flats and 9,380m² of flexible, commercial floorspace and the construction of two new buildings providing 110 flats including associated parking and landscaping has been granted permission subject to S106 agreement.
- Ring Road and Newtown Bridge Works -Work
Completed.
The new look Bank Street re-opened at the beginning of August and work has now been completed, except for tree planting, along Elwick Road and West Street. Further phases will be implemented in conjunction with progress on Victoria Way and Park and Ride that will reduce the need for traffic to enter the town centre. The road under Newtown Bridge that goes into South Willesborough was completed and re-opened on 22nd December 2008. The railway bridge was raised and widened to improve access and link the town centre with developments to the south east. Kent County Council website (http://www.kent.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/transport-and-road-planning/major-projects/)
Ashford Urban Area Planning and Development
This section of the development update provides the latest news on major developments in the urban area of Ashford, but outside the Town Centre.
To find out more information about a particular case, including viewing the application, please use the case number in brackets at the end of each site and view them on the Planning Applications webpage. The 'S' number refers to the Local Plan site allocation number.
- Eureka Business Park– Construction Commenced
(06/02011/AS)
Construction of the Herald Development that will provide 34,364 sq ft of office space over three floors is currently underway and expected to be completed in early 2009.
Work has also begun on the new Eureka Place Neighbourhood Centre and this is due for completion in early 2009. The new centre will provide a terrace of retail, takeaway and professional service units totalling 1,090 sq m including a convenience store, family pub/restaurant, children’s day nursery and a medical centre.
- Eureka Business Park - A Reserved Matters Application is currently under consideration for Land Parcels 6 and 6A, (08/01400/AS) and (08/01401/AS)
This is for the erection of offices in four separate 2 storey buildings with associated landscaping and parking and the erection of offices in 1 x3 storey and 2 x 1 storey buildings with integrated landscaping and formation of new access and parking.
The NHS Primary Care Trust is moving to new
purpose-built premises on Eureka Park. The new office will be one
of three buildings across East Kent. Developer Quadrant Estates
says there is now only one unit remaining at the Northdown offices,
the 10 unit office village. Plans for the next phase, Northdown 2,
are underway.
Please view www.eurekapark.co.uk for further
information.
- Eureka Leisure Park Planning Permission Granted
(06/02242/AS) (04/00847/AS)
An application has been granted for the provision of a 3 screen cinema extension and 2 ancillary restaurants. Construction is due to commence shortly.
Work is underway on the erection of a hotel with 74 bedrooms, and a drive-through restaurant, all with associated accesses, 175 car-parking spaces and landscaping. The restaurant/bar has been completed and is now open for business.
- Southern Part of Former Powergen Site -
Planning Application Received (07/01441/AS)
The proposal comprises of 634 residential units, including affordable housing, 518 sq m commercial floorspace, 445 car parking spaces, combined heat and power plant, ecological water treatment plant, wind turbines and associated access, footpaths, cycle paths, landscaping and open space. No decision has been taken on this application.
- Land Fronting Beaver Road and Victoria Road - A Reserved Matters Application (08/01122/AS).
Reserved Matters application regarding the erection of 261 dwellings together with 6 commercial ground floor units, related car parking and landscaping has been received by the council and is currently under consideration.
- Land SE of Drovers Roundabout, Maidstone Road
(08/00936/AS) - Full Planning Permission Granted
An application has been received for the erection of a 64 bedroom residential care home in a single two/three storey building with associated site accesses, car parking, external garden areas, refuse/recycling store and associated facilities.
- Milne Road – Construction Continues
(06/01298/AS)
36 affordable dwellings on the former allotments site north of Milne Road in Willesborough, are now behind schedule due to a fire in May in one of the blocks of flats that was nearing completion.
- Park Farm - S17 - Construction Continues (05/02149/AS)
and (07/02187/AS)
238 dwellings of the 288 dwellings on the Taylor Woodrow site joining the Hamstreet bypass are now occupied and the remaining 50 are under construction.
Second Phase at Park Farm East for the first 202 dwellings, including affordable and mixed units was approved in February 2008. Building will commence early 2009 with 9 units plus Housing Association involvement.
Park Farm Access Road - Planning Permission Granted (07/00963/AS) and (07/00967/AS).
Planning permission has been granted for the southern access road to Park Farm East and for the northern and southern link roads connecting Park Farm East to Cheesemans Green, plus all associated works.
- Singleton - S20 – Construction Continues (03/00801/AS),
(05/01859/AS), (07/00080/AS), (04/01656/AS) and
(04/01921/AS).
230 of the 308 dwellings are now complete and 38 under construction on the Hillreed Homes site in Hoxton Close (Areas 9A, 9B and 9C).
126 dwellings of the 184 in areas 10 and 11 are complete with 21 currently under construction.
The development of 9 apartments next to the Singleton Oast have now been completed.
- South Kent College– Jemmett Road - Outline Permission
Granted (07/00117/AS)
Outline planning permission has been granted for the demolition of existing buildings and construction of up to 241 dwellings and associated access and landscaping.
- Stanhope S18 – Regeneration Underway (06/01875/AS),
06/02098/AS), (07/00134/AS), (07/00042/AS) and
(07/00529/AS).
Work on sites 8 and 9 is completed, providing 45 flats and houses for rent and private sale. The scheme also includes parking, landscaping, roads and footpaths. The first dwellings on sites 8 and 9 were occupied on 19th June 2008.
Sites 3 and 3a New local centre shops, public house, 58 houses/flats nearing completion. An amendment to the design of Legacy Building (Library/Estate Management Office/Residents Meeting Room) has been submitted.
Site 4 - 30 Houses/Flats scheduled to deliver mid 2009.
Site 5 - 75 Houses/Flats commenced on this area.
Site 10 - The existing flats have been vacated in preparation for demolition.
- Waterbrook - S14 (04/01104/AS,
07/01188/AS)
An appeal has been received for the development of a vehicle testing facility, vehicle and plant storage and maintenance facility and B1, B2 and B8 small business units together with associated highway and earthworks.
An appeal has also been submitted for 102,000 sq m of employment development including B1 (light industrial/offices), B2 (general ind.) and B8 (warehousing) use in conjunction with existing railhead, together with a 60 bedroom hotel, petrol filling station and details of engineering works for flood alleviation on the site. Both appeals were heard at a public inquiry that closed in December. The outcome is still awaited.
- Templer and Rowcroft Barracks (Repton Manor Barn) Listed Building Consent Granted (08/01198/AS)
Listed Building Consent was granted for works in connection with the conversion of Repton Manor Barn and outbuildings for a public house incorporating
a restaurant, function rooms and manager's accommodation.
- Templer and Rowcroft Barracks (Repton Park) Foodstore, Planning Permission Granted (08/00650/AS).
This application relates to the development of a Waitrose food store on the Repton Park Site, which also includes the provision of 23 apartments in two
storey's above and the partial discharge of other conditions.
- Newtown Works - Planning Permission Granted (05/01798/AS).
The application is for 788 new build residential units and 1,156 sq m of commercial/retail/leisure development. This application has been granted subject to S106 agreement.
- Land West of Knoll Lane, Singleton, Ashford. Application Received (08/01503/AS)
- An application for the erection of a mixed development comprising 90 dwellings (31 being affordable) with the provision of 1.2 ha. of public open space (including a multi-use games area) and associated access and landscaping is currently under consideration.
- The Wyvern School, Hythe Road, Willesborough - Reserved Matters Application Under Consideration (08/01562/AS).
A reserved matters application for approval relating to the residential redevelopment of the grounds and buildings comprising the former Wyvern School for a proposed development of 52 residential units has been received by the council and is currently under consideration.
Ashford Rural Areas Planning and Development
This section of the development update relates to the rural areas of Ashford. The list below provides the latest news on major developments.
To find out more information about a particular case, including viewing the application, please use the case number in brackets at the end of each site and view them on the Planning Applications webpage.
- Former Oil Depot, Wye – Under Construction
(06/00518/AS)
28 of the 57 houses in Bramble Lane are now complete.
- Former HM Prison, Aldington – Under Construction
(05/01930/AS)
6 of the 70 new dwellings are complete and occupied with a further 17 currently under construction.
- Land East of 10-12 Calland, Smeeth
– Under Construction (06/02067/AS)
Planning permission was granted in March for the erection of 11 affordable dwellings and associated parking. Construction has now started on these dwellings.
- Chessenden Lane, Smarden – Under
Construction (08/00200/AS)
12 affordable dwellings, comprising of 4x1 bed flats, 5x2 bed houses and 3x3 bed houses together with associated access road and car parking spaces are now under construction.
- Sandyhurst Lane, Boughton Aluph – Planning
Permission Granted (08/00599/AS)
An application has been granted for the demolition of 296 and 298 Sandyhurst Lane and erection of eight detached houses, associated parking, landscaping and drainage
- Land known as Glebe Field, Maytham Road, Rolvenden,Kent - Planning Permission Granted (08/01314/AS).
Planning permission has been granted for the erection of 12 affordable dwellings with associated access drives and parking.