Public consultation on Bockhanger community space extended

Residents of Bockhanger have been given more time to have their say on shaping future plans for a new community space.

The deadline for feedback from our virtual public Bockhanger event at the end of September has been extended from 31 October to the 19 November.

The 4,500 local households that were originally surveyed about this work back in November 2019 will be posted a copy of the slides and speaker notes from the virtual Bockhanger meeting on 29 September.

Also in each pack will be a survey and a pre-paid envelope, along with a covering letter encouraging residents to play a full part in sharing their views on the future provision of new community space in the area.

This mailing goes out on Friday 29 October, so every household in the Bockhanger area should receive the documents during the following week, allowing people more than two weeks to respond.

The virtual consultation event on 29 September was jointly organised by Ashford Borough Council and Kennington Community Council. It was recorded and can be viewed on the borough council’s YouTube channel along with the presentation slides, speaker notes and a short survey.

For further information email us at bockhanger.engagement@ashford.gov.uk

The council says this is a major community project and there is a lot of information to absorb and digest, which is why the decision has been taken to extend the deadline to 19 November and to mail local people with the information packs.

A report into the proposals for a new community space at Bockhanger, together with the public’s feedback, is due to be presented to the council’s Cabinet at the end of November, and members will then set the trajectory for the project going forward.

Background

This autumn’s consultation has picked up from where things were left in March 2020 when a public consultation event that was due to be held at the Phoenix Community Primary School had to be cancelled due to growing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Back then nearly 600 people living in the Bockhanger, Bybrook, Kennington and Little Burton areas of Ashford had taken part in a survey on the future provision of alternative community spaces. This followed the demolition of the Bockhanger Community Centre in spring 2019.

The consultation aims to understand what is required by residents, community groups and businesses, and examine what facilities already exist in the area and what they offer.

For more information about Kennington Community Council is available online.