A new planning application has been submitted for the redevelopment of the Ashford International Social Club site.
The proposal for thirty-four 1 and 2 bedroom apartments follows the refusal of an application in 2021 for a replacement social club facility with thirty-one apartments in two blocks of five and three storeys. The primary reason for refusal being:
“The proposed development, by reason of its inappropriate height, scale and massing would comprise over-development of the site that would fail to promote high quality design or complement or respond to the prevailing character of the area.”
Norman Road elevation of 2021 proposal
The latest proposal comprises two four storey buildings. Block A facing Beaver Road comprises 19 apartments, Block B facing Norman Road 15 apartments.
Image of latest proposal from the corner of Beaver Road
The documents reveal that a advice was given by planning officers early this year that a proposal for forty-three apartments was unlikely to be approved for reasons including:
The height and scale of both buildings would fail to appropriately respond to the prevailing heights of surrounding buildings and be harmful to the local townscape, and
Concern about the ability for the site to sustainably accommodate the quantum of development proposed and potential over-development of the site. This would not represent efficient or optimal use of land and would be in conflict with a number of national and local planning policies
View of latest proposal from Norman Road
The current proposal includes 38 parking spaces, 11 of which are accessible.
Site plan of latest proposal
Full details can be examined on the Ashford Borough Council planning website, Case Ref: PA/2024/2033
Come along, be informed, have a chat and maybe meet other parents and carers of SEND children!
Are you a parent and/or carer of a child or young person who has special educational needs and/or disabilities or you believe may require additional help? Are you looking for services in your area that can offer extra support for your child as they go through their education journey? Then Ashford Family Hubs would like to invite you to our SEND Information, advice and guidance event for Ashford.
There will be a short presentation at the start to introduce the services in attendance, followed by your opportunity to visit their stalls and find out how they can help.
Refreshments will be available and some toys can be provided in case you need to bring little ones.
16th July 2024 10 am -12 noon or 1 pm – 3 pm
Ashford North Family Hub Mabledon Avenue Ashford TN24 8BJ
Ashford Borough Council is preparing a new Local Plan for the borough and is inviting local communities to get involved in the process.
The council is holding a series of events throughout the summer to provide residents with the opportunity to find out more about how the new Ashford Local Plan will be prepared, what it will cover, what stage are we at, and when we will go out to formal public consultation.
Attendees will be able to share their aspirations for the borough, as well as frustrations, on matters such as the environment, future needs for local housing, jobs, green spaces, and both existing and new infrastructure as well as a whole range of other topics that fall with the remit of planning.
A Local Plan provides the opportunity to shape the places that we live, work and socialise. It addresses the needs for housing and employment, and provides a series of planning policies covering many other topics such as community facilities and infrastructure, the natural and historic environment, adapting to climate change and achieving well designed places.
Although the general principle of the plan is to encourage growth within the economy of Ashford, our Local Plan will also seek to protect Ashford’s valued assets including our landscapes, heritage, and open spaces for leisure and nature.
Once adopted, the policies within a Local Plan are used as the starting point to decide planning applications for future development.
Simon Cole, Assistant Director for Planning and Development said: “Everyone is affected by planning so it’s important to get involved and have your say. These events are intended to explain the process and provide an opportunity to meet the planning team.
“You can find out where sites have been put forward by land owners, ask questions and leave feedback. By working together with residents and other stakeholders at this early stage, as well as throughout the later formal consultations, we can ensure that appropriate development delivers the affordable homes and infrastructure that our borough needs.”
The council is holding a total of eight ‘in person’ community events across the borough throughout July and August. These events will be followed by two virtual events in late August/early September for those who are unable or prefer not to attend in person.
The events are intended to be ‘drop in’ sessions open to all members of the community and residents may attend any of the events in any of the locations.
The council will review and collate all the feedback received during the community events, which will be used to gain a better understanding of key local issues and, where appropriate, inform the content of the draft version of the new Local Plan.
An election will be held to elect one Member of Parliament for Ashford constituency on 4th July 2024
Below is everything you need to know about the election.
Table of Contents
Constituency
Parliamentary constituencies have changed substantially as a result of a Boundary Review in 2023. The Ashford Constituency now comprises a larger area of the Folkestone and Hythe District than of the Borough of Ashford and more of the Borough of Ashford is in the Weald of Kent Constituency than in the Ashford Constituency.
Ashford Parliamentary Constituency
Candidates
The candidates nominated for the Ashford Constituency are:
Name of Candidate
Home Address
Description (if any)
GREEN, Damian Howard
Highlands, Charing Hill, Charing, Ashford, Kent, TN27 0NG
Voters and proxy voters in England need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations.
If you do not have one of the forms of ID listed below you need to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. You must apply by: 5pm on Wednesday 26 June.
Apply online
Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate on gov.uk.
You may also be able to apply in person at your local council.
If you need any help applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, contact your local council. You can also call our helpline on 0800 328 0280 if you have any questions.
Accepted forms of ID are:
International travel
Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state (Opens in new window) or a Commonwealth country (including an Irish Passport Card)
Driving and Parking
Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (this includes a provisional driving licence)
A Blue Badge
Local travel
Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
60+ London Oyster Photocard funded by Transport for London
Freedom Pass
Scottish National Entitlement Card issued for the purpose of concessionary travel (including a 60+, disabled or under 22s bus pass)
60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Proof of age
Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
Other government issued documents
Biometric immigration document
Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
National identity card issued by an EEA state
Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
The map below indicates areas covered by the polling districts in South Ashford and shows the locations of polling stations. The boundaries are approximate and you should use the tool on the Ashford Borough Council website to confirm your polling station
Contact Electoral Services
Contact Electoral Services if you live in the Borough of Ashford
Telephone
Contact the Electoral Services Office on 01233 330402.
Ashford Borough Council is consulting on its Plan for the Borough for 2024 – 2028
The Plan sets out Ashford Borough Council’s priorities over the next four years as we face the dual challenges of climate and economy and strive to bring people and organisations together to achieve the vision: To make Ashford a place where people, business and nature can collectively thrive.
Three pillars support this vision and form the priorities against which progress will be measured:
Planet – Working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and creating places for nature will be at the heart of everything we do.
People – Listening and serving the Ashford community is our philosophy; we will make best use of available resources to build an equitable and fair society.
Place – We are planning for the future of our community and to make Ashford a place people are pleased to call home and love to visit.
The draft Plan can be downloaded from the Council’s Consultation Portal using the link below
The Council is giving the opportunity to let them know what you think of the Plan and suggest any changes or additions. Feedback and contributions you provide, will inform the final plan document and the council’s priorities over the next four years.
New proposals have emerged for the Coneybeare Site
Ashford Borough Council are consulting on revised proposals for the site between Torrington Road and Eastmead Avenue. The west of the site was previously used as allotments and the east for the light industrial premises of Coneybeare & Company.
The Council consulted on a proposal for the site in 2022 but have now produced revised proposals including 16 apartments and 12 houses plus a community hub for a ‘men-in-sheds’ organisation. The commercial element of the previous scheme has been omitted and open space element extended.
A concern that has long restricted the development of the site is poor access. This previously being limited to the Coneybeare access from Torrington Road and a narrow passage at the east end of Eastmead Avenue. The new proposal shows the main access across the site of Eastmead House, previously the premises of Alpha Blinds.
The next meeting of South Ashford Community Forum will be
at 7:30pm
on 24 April 2024
at Christchurch Community Hall
Christchurch Road, Ashford, TN23 7XB
Please note the change of venue and time
this is due to St. Francis Hall being out of use
There is restricted parking at Christchurch. A Brownie group have a meeting ending at 7:00 pm. Please do not enter the building until the children have left and leaders have cleared away.
The meeting will be held as a Committee Meeting to which all residents of the Community Forum area are invited. The format will be a round table discussion to which all attendees have the opportunity to contribute.
We are aware that an event is happening at the Civic Centre and our Councillors may not be able to attend.
Agenda
Welcome Sign in Apologies
Minutes of meeting of 24 January 2024 Matters arising
Although consultation has not opened on the proposed sites for inclusion in the Local Plan to 2041, we will start to draw opinions on those in South Ashford.
The table below lists all in Beaver, Norman And Victoria Wards.
HELAA Site reference
Call for Sites Consultation Portal Response ID
Address
Ward
CF Area
HELAA/LP41/198
1178822
Land at St Stephen’s Walk and Stanhope Road, Ashford, TN23 5BD
Beaver
South
HELAA/LP41/103
1178424
Land south of Asda, A2042, Ashford, TN24 0SD
Norman
South
HELAA/LP41/146
1178675
Land off Norman Road and Romney Marsh Road, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0SD
Norman
South
HELAA/LP41/163
1178745
Land south of Norman Rd, Ashford TN23 7DG
Norman
South
HELAA/LP41/188
1178800
Coneybeare, Eastmead Avenue, Ashford, TN23 7SB
Norman; Victoria
South
HELAA/LP41/210
1178916
Old Stanhay Works, Ashford, TN23 7HE
Victoria
South
HELAA/LP41/211
1178920
1 Victoria Road, Ashford, TN23 7HE
Victoria
South
HELAA/LP41/217
1178959
Beaver Road, Ashford, TN23 7RR
Victoria
South
HELAA/LP41/221
1178984
26 Bank Street, Ashford, Kent, TN23 1BE
Victoria
South
HELAA/LP41/061
1178083
Kent House, Station Road, Ashford, TN23 1PJ
Victoria
Central
HELAA/LP41/169
1178756
County Square Shopping Centre, Elwick Road, Ashford, TN23 1YB
A planning application for the 90 dwelling East Stour Park development and an associated application for the site opposite the Ashford Designer Outlet have been withdrawn.
The developer initially proposed a development of 240 apartments for the site at the junction of Romney Marsh Road and Norman Road at a Public Consultation Event in March 2019. An application was submitted in May 2019, reducing the development to 212 apartments. On 19 February 2019, Ashford Borough Council’s Planning Committee rejected the application by a 15:1 majority vote (against the officer’s recommendation), ABC Case ref :19/00709/AS. The developer appealed against the decision in July 2020. The appeal hearing took place virtually in April 2021 and the inspector dismissed the appeal on 2 December 2021.
In October 2022 the developer submitted a new application, reducing the number of units to 80 in three blocks of five storeys, later increased to 90 units, ABC Case Ref: PA/2022/2669.
An outline application was submitted in January 2023 for a Community Centre, supplementary to the residential development, ABC Case Ref: PA/2023/0065.
Both the 90 unit residential development and the community centre applications have been marked as withdrawn on the ABC planning website this month.
Please score, from most important (1) to least important (4), what items need improving at Noakes Meadow. Give a score to at least 4 options.
MUGA (caged sports area)
Play Area
Flooding Paths
Accessibility
The following items of play equipment could be installed at Noakes Meadow Play Park. Which five items of play equipment do you think should be installed? Select between 1 and 5 options.
Roundabout
Seesaw
Swings
Trim trail/obstacle course
Toddler Unit
Spinners/spring
Multi-climb unit
Other – please state
Would you like the play area to be for mixed ages (toddler through to over 8’s)?
Would you like to see a new access path improving accessibility all year round at Noakes Meadow?
Do you think the paths and access are suitable currently?
Is the MUGA cage well used? This is the caged sports area in the centre of Noakes Meadow.
Do you think that the MUGA entrances need to be improved?
What sports would you like the MUGA lines painted for?
Football
Basketball
Other – please state
Is there anything else you would like to see added to improve Noakes Meadow?
Is there any other feedback regarding the proposed play upgrades at Noakes Meadow that you would like to tell us about?
The next meeting of South Ashford Community Forum will be
at 7:00pm
on 24 January 2024
at St. Francis Church Hall
Cryol Road, Ashford, TN23 5AS
The meeting will be held as a Committee Meeting to which all residents of the Community Forum area are invited. The format will be a round table discussion to which all attendees have the opportunity to contribute.
We will be joined by Chris Morley, Councillor for, and Deborah Prior, Clerk to, Kennington Community Council for a discussion on whether a campaign should be launched for a Community Council for South Ashford (and other unparished areas)
