Relocating To Ashford
Relocation Scheme
We offer a Relocation Scheme of up to £5,000 and this will be stated on the recruitment advert if this applies. This applies to permanently appointed new employees who need to move home in order to be nearer to their new place of work. This scheme is subject to full terms and conditions. The £5,000 can be spent on costs associated with moving, including removal costs, weekend travel back home, legal and professional fees.
Why Relocate to Ashford?
Connectivity
Ashford is an internationally connected borough. London is only 38 minutes away on HS1, and there are high speed connections to Paris, Brussels and Lille.
By car, Ashford is 1 hour 35 mins from Heathrow, 1 hour from Gatwick and just over 30mins from the Channel Tunnel and Port of Dover.
A Mix of Town and Rural
Located at the heart of the Garden of England, Ashford offers the best of town and country. It’s no surprise the borough is considered among the most desirable places to live in the UK. At 224.5 sq miles it is the largest and most rural borough in Kent. There is the urban town of Ashford and jewel of the weald, Tenterden, which are surrounded by charming picturesque villages, all with their own unique character.
Schools
There are a number of great schools and colleges locally in the two towns (Ashford and Tenterden) in the borough. There are also rural schools and a £26 million further and higher education campus in the heart of the town centre (Ashford College).
House Prices
Ashford offers house prices that are lower than much of the south east. Properties sold in Ashford had an overall average price of £273,421 over the last year. (Rightmove March 2020)
Terraced properties, sold for an average price of £232,558. Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £269,700, with detached properties fetching an average of £387,241 (Rightmove March 2020)
Economic Growth
One of the most attractive aspects of living and working in Ashford is the quality of life it has to offer. Ashford offers an easy pace of life with an exciting programme of development to make it an even more tempting place to locate to.
Uniquely placed and internationally connected, we are already home to some of the fastest growth and most innovative development in the country. You won’t recognise Ashford as a local authority as we are well on the way to being a commercial organisation. We have already funded the construction of a town centre cinema and hotel, and assisted in bringing forward other major projects that are changing Ashford’s skyline. Ashford offers plenty of business space to grow.
Leisure Activities
Residents and visitors benefit from outstanding leisure activities and a growing cultural offer. In the town centre, the unique Revelation St Mary’s provides a popular arts venue, boasting great headline acts. Ashford plays host to a vibrant arts scene with nationally and internationally recognised arts organisations, venues and creatives.
The borough is also packed with well run, high quality community arts groups, events and festivals that run and operate throughout the year. Conningbrook Lakes Country Park offers great water based activities. There is a growing network of cycle paths making it safe for families to cycle around the borough.
Shopping
Ashford is also home to the Designer Outlet, which attracts shoppers from across the south east. There is also a John Lewis at Home store, and many of the usual high street brands making it easy to see why Ashford is a popular choice for relocation.
Council Tax
Ashford continues to set the lowest council tax in Kent, and one of the lowest in the UK.
Recycling
Ashford is the number one local recycling authority in Kent (DEFRA) and Ashford’s recycling rate is well above the national average.
History
The borough of Ashford has a rich natural and man-made history. There are 2,395 listed buildings, 42 scheduled monuments, 43 conservation areas, 6 registered parks and gardens and two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). As a result, it has more heritage sites than any other borough in Kent.
But we don’t just talk the talk. Ashford has been named in the top 10 places to live in Kent according to transport, education and grocery shopping availability, life style and nightlife, noise levels, green spaces and public safety. (One Dome)
Experience the two towns of Ashford and Tenterden in this video created by our Tourism team.
