Kentish Express Ashford & District
How new Outlet will look
2,000 new jobs and 60 extra shops by 2019
Exciting plans for a massive expansion of the Ashford Designer Outlet have been unveiled.
Owners McArthur Glen revealed the new look for the centre – which would be built towards the town – at a consultation held yesterday (Wednesday).
The extension, which would almost double the size of the giant shopping mall, would be delivered in two stages, with phase two expected to open in 2016 or early 2017 and phase three by 2019.
The extension would expand out and towards the Ashford International railway station.
Bosses behind the project say this will improve the links between the Designer Outlet and Ashford town centre.
As well as extending north and south of the centre, there are also plans to add restaurant space within the middle of the current shopping centre, near the food court.
In total, an extra 175,000 sq ft of retail space would be added to the current 185,000 sq ft.
This would be the first extension since the existing centre, called phase one, opened in 2000.
PHASE TWO
Subject to planning approval, phase two will see a further 30 shops added to the 80 already there, plus restaurants, extra car parking space and increased links to the town centre.
The extension would also add an extra 100,000 sq ft of retail space and create around 1,000 jobs.
The first steps would see an 800space car park created near the Asda supermarket, off Kimberley Way.
This would make up for the 300 spaces that would be lost when a restaurant quarter is built in the centre of the existing Outlet, where the play area and food court currently stand.
Currently, 10% of the centre is made up of dining areas, but this would rise to 15-20% with the expansion.
A visitor centre would also be built near the new cafes and restaurants, and the play area would be moved to the lower half of the existing inner car park.
The removal of the food court would allow for new shops, which would be built on the area currently used as a drop-off point close to Newtown Road.
A pedestrian crossing, similar to the shared space in the town centre, is then likely to be installed over the road between the Newtown Road and Romney Marsh Road roundabouts, although McArthurGlen is currently working with Highways to work out the best plan.
The tented peaks that cover the existing Outlet would stop at the start of the new area.
The design and architecture for phase two has been inspired by Ashford’s location in the Garden of England and the new buildings would be clad in green, something McArthurGlen bosses are calling “living walls”.
The stores’ individual canopies will be designed to reflect the theme of the existing centre.
There would also be plants and trees placed in the new retail space. A planning application for phase two is expected to be submitted to Ashford Borough Council later this month.
Work could start in spring 2015, with the opening planned for late 2016 or early 2017.
PHASE THREE
Phase three would start in 2017/ 18. The work, adding another 30 shops, would take place in the overflow car park (car park D) in Newtown Road, as well as on a small piece of land above the car park.
It is understood the shops would be built above the car park at ground level, matching Romney Marsh Road, while around 400 new car parking spaces would sit underneath in the existing car park.
Phase three would add a further 75,000 sq ft of retail space.
Another 1,000 jobs are expected by the end of phase three in 2019.
Centre manager David Maddison said: “As the town centre develops downwards and we build to the north of the existing Outlet, shoppers will really only have to cross a road to link between the town centre and the Outlet.
“We’re working closely with Ashford Borough Council. We want to move closer to the town centre so, in effect, it is one big shopping complex.”
A public consultation about the expansion was held at the Stour Centre yesterday (Wednesday). There will be pictures and a report in next week’s Kentish Express