Planning and Development

ABC Property Company to invest in Travis site

southashfordcf 18 December 2017 0 Comments

Ashford Borough Council has announced that its property company ‘A Better Choice for Property’, is to buy apartments to be built on the Travis Perkins site on Victoria Crescent.

The purchase, the company’s biggest yet, represents a multimillion-pound investment in the town.

Tracey Kerly, Ashford Borough Council’s Chief Executive, said: “The property company demonstrates another innovative way that the Council is supporting the complex and various housing needs of a growing population.”

She added: “We are delighted to be working with Leath Park Developments on this exciting development which will be built to the council’s lifetime homes and strict space standards that go further than national prescribed space standards. We look forward to growing the business further in the coming years, with the aim of generating more revenue to maintain and enhance overall service provision.”

Darren Welch, Managing Director of Leath Park Developments (a Jenner Group Company) said: “This is another example of Ashford Borough Council’s proactive approach to providing local housing in the area and we look forward to working closely with the development team to deliver 28 high quality apartments at Victoria Crescent.”

A Better Choice for Property effectively operates as a buy-to-let investment company, targeting people in work in Ashford who can afford to rent. They are given one-year tenancies that can then be extended by further yearly increments or on a monthly rolling contract, affording flexibility to the tenants, while enabling communities to develop. The emphasis is on providing a high-quality customer experience to tenants from start to finish.

The property company has carefully grown a portfolio of 24 two, three and four-bedroom properties in the borough, ranging from flats to detached houses. The company paid interest to the council of £129,000 in the 2016-17 financial year. This money has been put towards the provision of services across the borough.

It is anticipated that in the next three years the company’s portfolio will grow to around 400-500 properties that are either in its ownership or that it is committed to owning off-plan.

Ashford Borough Council 18 December 2017
www.ashford.gov.uk/whats-on/news/property-company-expands-with-off-plan-purchase-18th-dec/

Details of the planning application can be found in our post of 6 July 2016
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2016/07/06/former-travis-perkins-trading-co-ltd-victoria-crescent-tn23-7hp/

Ashford Borough Council, Housing, News, Planning and Development

Chilmington Green Primary School – Consultation

southashfordcf 17 October 2017 0 Comments

The Stour Academy Trust

Opens: 29 September 2017
Closes: 10th November 2017

In the summer of 2017 Kent County Council (KCC) initiated a competition to find a sponsor to operate the first primary school to be built on the Chilmington Green development, Ashford. We, The Stour Academy Trust submitted a proposal, and were identified as KCC’s preferred Sponsor. In July 2017 the Regional School’s Commissioner supported KCC’s recommendation. We are delighted to have been selected as the sponsor of the new school.

For more information, please read the Consultation Document below:

Chilmington Green Primary School, Section 10 Consultation Document
www.stouracademytrust.org.uk/docs/General/Chilmington_Green_Primary_Section_10_Consultation_Document.pdf

To view the Admission Policy of Chilmington Green Primary School, please follow the link below:

Chilmington Green Primary School – Admission Policy

A consultation period will run from 29th September to 10th November, you can respond to the consultation online by following the link below:

Online Consultation Response Form
http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ChilmingtonGreen/

Alternatively, you can download the document
www.stouracademytrust.org.uk/docs/General/Chilmington_Green_Section_10_Consultation_Reponse_Form.docx
and email your response to sonya.harris@stouracademytrust.org.uk or post to The Stour Academy Trust, Park View, Sturry, Canterbury, Kent. CT2 0NR

This form must be received no later than 4pm Friday 10^th November

The Stour Academy Trust is holding public information events at Finberry Primary School, Avocet Way, Finberry, Sevington, Ashford, TN25 7GS on:

30/10/17, starting at 6pm.

07/11/17, starting at 6pm.

The Stour Academy Trust is also inviting those interested in the proposed Chilmington Green Primary School to attend the Open Evening of Finberry Primary School on October 11^th 2017. This will allow those interested to take a tour of a Stour Academy Trust school, the proposal will not be discussed on this date.

Chilmington Green Primary School – Register your interest

If you are interested in a place for September 2018 please follow the link below to register your interest.

You can also call the Trust office on 01227 710477 (select option 3), to register your interest.

Registering an interest will mean that you are updated with details of upcoming open events and any other important admissions information. Please note that registering your interest does not mean that you have applied for a place at Chilmington Green Primary School.

Consultation, Education, News, Planning and Development

South School proposed as temporary home for Chilmington Green school

southashfordcf 6 October 2017 0 Comments

A proposal for a new school for Chilmington Green includes the temporary use of the South School site in Jemmett Road.

The Stour Academy Trust, which runs Finberry Primay School has been selected to run the proposed Chilmington Green Primary School. The announcement of the selection of Stour Academy Trust * states that the new school will open in 2018 on the South School site. Finberry Primary School operated in the South School building for two years whilst waiting for its new building to be constructed.

The site was the subject of a planning application for housing in 2007 and was allocated for housing in Ashford Borough Council’s (ABC) 2012 Urban Sites and Infrastructure Development Plan Document. ABC’s Draft Local Plan published last year also allocated the site for housing but states that “there are
current plans to re-use the school buildings for a period of time of no more than 8 years, as a temporary school to meet the education needs of development in the urban area”. There are conditions on the permission to develop the adjacent South Kent (Ashford) College site requiring that access to the South School site is provided.

* Ashford Borough Council 04 October 2017
www.ashford.gov.uk/whats-on/news/the-stour-academy-trust-to-hold-consultation-meetings-on-new-school-proposal-4th-oct/

Education, News, Planning and Development

Local Plan Changes

southashfordcf 9 August 2017 0 Comments

Last year We reproduced extracts from some of the sections of the Draft Local Plan published by Ashford Borough Council that relate to or will affect South Ashford.

We have now updated these pages to reflect the changes proposed under the Council’s July 2017 consultation on Main Changes to Local Plan 2030. The updated extracts can be viewed under Local Information>Planning and Development>Local Plan
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/category/consultations/local-plan/

If you wish to submit your own comments to Ashford Borough Council, you can do so from their consultation portal
https://haveyoursay.ashford.gov.uk/consult.ti/local_plan_2030/consultationHome. The consultation is open until 31 August 2017

Ashford Borough Council, News, Planning and Development, Planning Policy

Ashford Heritage Strategy

southashfordcf 7 July 2017 0 Comments

Ashford Borough Council

Opens: 07 July 2017
Closes: 31 August 2017

Ashford Borough is home to an extraordinarily rich and significant stock of heritage assets which provide important and wide-ranging evidence of the rural history of this country and its tapestry of rural settlements. The Borough’s heritage is extensive too, with more listed buildings than any other in Kent, and with more grade 1 and II* listed buildings than other districts also.

This Heritage Strategy describes the rich history of Ashford Borough and its broad wealth of heritage assets. In doing so it responds to, and is compliant with the requirement for a ‘positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment’ promoted by the NPPF. It sets out how the historic environment can play an important role in delivering regeneration in the Borough, particularly supporting the objectives of the Local Plan for the regeneration of Ashford Town Centre, and the role of heritage in growing the tourism offer of the Borough. Having regard to the Government’s localism agenda, the Strategy promotes an agenda of further understanding and engagement with the historic environment, where the public play a leading role in delivering the outcomes of the strategy and shaping where they live, work and visit.

The borough’s attractive natural environment, including two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the successful Ashford Green Corridors initiative are widely recognised. However, the historic environment is equally one of the Borough’s most valuable assets, and one which can and should play an important role in its future development.

Have your Say

The Council is inviting you to have your say on the Ashford Heritage Strategy from Friday 7th July 2017 until midnight on the 31st August 2017.

(more…)

Ashford Borough Council, Consultation, Heritage, News, Planning and Development, Planning Policy

ABC Local Plan changes

southashfordcf 7 July 2017 0 Comments

Main Changes to Local Plan 2030

Ashford Borough Council

Opens: 07 July 2017
Closes: 31 August 2017

Ashford Borough Council are preparing a new Local Plan to 2030. It is being prepared with the aim of ensuring that future development within Ashford is well planned and managed effectively whilst having a positive impact on local communities, the economy and the environment. The new Local Plan will provide a consistent approach to planning into the future across the whole of the borough. Once adopted, the Local Plan 2030 will form the statutory development plan. A draft of the Plan was formally published and made available for consultation during the summer of 2016.

Ashford Borough Council are now consulting upon a series of Proposed Main Changes to that Publication Draft of the Local Plan. These changes are intended to:

resolve issues that were raised during public consultation on the previous draft of the Plan;
meet the increased housing need requirements identified through an update of national population projections;
ensure that the Plan is up to date; and
make sure that it meets the requirements of current national planning policy and guidance.

It is considered appropriate to address these issues before the Local Plan 2030 is submitted to the Secretary of State to be examined by a Planning Inspector. (more…)

Ashford Borough Council, Consultation, News, Planning and Development, Planning Policy

Agreement brings money to Victoria Park

southashfordcf 5 June 2017 0 Comments

The Section 106 Agreement for the North Travis Perkins site in Victoria Crescent, signed last week, includes a contribution of £ 21,514 for the ‘Victoria Park Improvement Project’. This will be added to contributions of £ 270,002 from the Powergen site development, £ 150,000 from the Victoria Way development.

In addition to in excess of £ 440,000 from Section 106 contributions, the results of an application by Ashford Borough Council (ABC) to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for Parks for People funding are expected by the end of this month. Although there are, as yet, no confirmed detailed plans, ABC have an ambition to: refurbish the Hubert fountain and piazza; reintroduce or recognise lost cultural and natural heritage elements; provide a volunteers compound and other community facilities; and put in place a range of community events and activities including a new ‘Friends Group’ etc. from the HLF funding.

The Section 106 Contributions will be used for other elements of the Victoria Park and Watercress Fields Masterplan adopted by ABC’s Cabinet on 10 March 2016. (more…)

Ashford Borough Council, Finance, News, Planning and Development, Victoria Park

College Site approved by committee

southashfordcf 18 May 2017 0 Comments

Ashford Borough Council’s Planning Committee voted to approve the reserved matters planning application to build 160 dwellings on the Ashford College site in Jemmett Road last night (17 May).

Proposals for redevelopment of the site were first produced 10 years ago in tandem with a plan to relocate the college to a new campus in Victoria Road. At that that time an application for 241 houses was permitted by the Council. Lack of funding led to the college not being able to relocate.

The college sought to renew the application in 2011, this time with proposals to relocate to the site now being constructed in Elwick Road. The Council asked for the proposals to be amended to comply with their Residential Space standards which resulted in the number of dwellings being limited to 154. Although the Planning Committee decided to allow the development, permission was only granted in December 2016 when the College signed the Section 106 agreement.

Although supporting the proposals, Bob Shrubb, Chair of South Ashford Community Forum, spoke to express concerns regarding traffic, parking and the inclusion of a four storey block of apartments, contrary to a condition on permission granted under the outlline application. The planning officer noted that traffic matters had been dealt with under the outline application and could not be revisited. She said that Kent County Council, as highways authority had accepted the parking proposal based on a survey carried out for the applicant. A councillor said that taller buildings should be expected in “Town Centre” locations.

The reserved matters application is case reference 17/00354/AS posted in our Planning notices on 14 March 2017
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2017/03/14/south-kent-college-jemmett-road-tn23-4rj-3/

The outline application is case reference 11/00405/AS posted on 10 December 2016
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2016/12/10/south-kent-college-jemmett-road-tn23-4rj-decided/

Ashford Borough Council, News, Planning and Development, SACF

Application for Powergen site

southashfordcf 12 May 2017 0 Comments

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) have published details of a reserved matters planning application for part of the Powergen site in Victoria Way.

The application gives details for Plot 3, comprising 66 apartments in a single block and 8 houses. The whole site comprises c. 660 dwellings.

A hybrid application for the site was approved by ABC’s Planning Committee last June and permission granted in November, following signing of a Section 106 Agreement. The eastern plots, 1 and 2, were fully detailed in the application. Plots 3, 4 and 5, to the west, were in outline. An amendment to the outline application was permitted in April of this year.

Details of the application can be found in our planning notice
https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2017/05/12/former-powergen-site-victoria-road-3/

Ashford Borough Council, News, Planning and Development

Planning Committee to consider college site application

southashfordcf 12 May 2017 0 Comments

Ashford Borough Council’s (ABC) Planning Committee will consider the reserved matters application for the Ashford College site in Jemmett Road on Wednesday 17th May.

The committee approved the outline application in 2011 but the permission was not granted until last December after the college signed the Section 106 Agreement.

The reserved matters application, ABC’s case reference 17/00354/AS, was posted in our planning notices on 14 March 2017. The outline application, case reference 11/00405/AS was posted on 10 December 2016.

South Ashford Community Forum’s comments can be downloaded here.

Ashford Borough Council, News, Planning and Development