Regeneration and Economy - A District Perspective: Reports back from visits to Ashford on 30 April and Sevenoaks on 25 May (Oral)
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Before starting the Committee’s main business, the Chairman requested and received the Committee’s agreement to consider the reports in the B Section as urgent business, as the papers had not been placed in the public arena with the required notice.
Ashford – 30 April
1. Members made the following comments about what they had seen and heard in Ashford:-
a) the amount of regeneration work going on in Ashford was impressive, and Ashford Future is working well;
b) not enough emphasis had been placed on the future, eg the 1,200 new houses planned for North Ashford;
c) the completion of Smartlink will be important for Ashford, as Park and Ride might not work well there;
d) the quality of new build was good, and fits in well with existing developments. Quality of building is key; KCC should support and encourage quality development; and
e) it would be helpful to know if more Eurostar train services are planned for Ashford, but this is not yet known. Ashford has a good future with Eurostar services if it chooses to embrace it.
Sevenoaks – 25 May
2. Members made the following comments about what they had seen and heard in Sevenoaks:-
a) the extremes between the standards of living evident in various parts of Sevenoaks district was surprising and eye-opening. The different areas each had very different sets of issues;
b) the difficulties in addressing the issues around New Ash Green was of significant concern. It was once an award-winning development. Some parts of the development had apparently been newly painted before the party visited;
c) Members discussed the possible options for improving the New Ash Green site. Compulsory purchase would be difficult as the site was owned by three different parties, but the potential commercial value of the site could be used to encourage the owners to improve it; and
d) the neatness of the well-run residential area of the Barnfield gypsy site was spoilt by the rubbish and waste metal dumped on the approach road. This is a fire hazard next to fields of dry grass and should be cleared up by the KCC, although it was acknowledged that this area had been cleared previously, at some expense, and the benefit had been temporary.
Future visits
3. Miss Grayell reminded Members that the next visit would be to Thanet on Monday 26 July. Thereafter, the final four visits would be arranged for the autumn months.