Share your views on the design of future development in Ashford
Published: 02/12/2025
Ashford Borough Council is asking residents for their views on the design and appearance of new development, to help shape future Design Codes for Ashford Borough.
Through our online survey, we are inviting residents to provide input and feedback on the design and character of local developments to help identify clear design principles for what is built in East Kent.
What is a design code?
A design code is a planning document that sets out specific design requirements for new development. For example, it may include:
- the layout of developments, including street pattern
- how landscaping should be approached, including the importance of streets being tree-lined
- the height of buildings and their materials
- the environmental performance of places and buildings;
- that developments should clearly take account of local vernacular and heritage, architecture and materials.
The final Design Code/s for Ashford Borough Council will be used to determine whether planning applications are acceptable in design terms and will support the aims of our Local Plan. It will set specific local requirements to improve the design quality in new developments.
Ashford, along with other neighbouring councils in East Kent, has been awarded government funding through the Planning Skills Delivery Fund for the first two stages of preparing a design code – analysis and developing a vision.
We are working with experts BPTW, Design South East and Create Streets to deliver the project.
Have your say now
Your feedback is a chance to positively influence the design of future development in the borough and will help shape the overall vision of a future design code. Have your say by completing the survey online before the deadline of midnight on Sunday 13 January 2026.
Paper copies of the questionnaire are available on request. If you need a paper copy, please email placemaking@ashford.gov.uk or download a copy of the East Kent Design Code questionnaire [pdf] 2698KB.
Completed copies can be emailed to placemaking@ashford.gov.uk. Returns by post should be sent to Placemaking Team, Planning & Development, Ashford Borough Council, International House, Dover Place, Ashford, TN23 1HU, before the deadline.
About the East Kent Design Code
This is a joint project with Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe and Thanet Councils. It’s being led by BPTW an architecture and design practice and supported by consultants Design South East and Create Streets, who are undertaking stage one and two of the design code process (analysis and vision) for each authority as set out in the National Model Design Code.
