Council Talk

This week sees the official launch of the inaugural Ashford property market report produced by the council in association with Caxtons Chartered Surveyors.

The report provides an insight into current trends and future opportunities and highlights the major initiatives and projects that have come to fruition recently, as well as looking at the challenges ahead.

Over the last year or so, the Ashford property market has performed well, with prime office rents rising by 11% over the last 12 months, compared with only 4% across Kent as a whole, making Ashford more attractive to property investors of which there have been no shortage.

Prime industrial rents have grown at an average of 7.6% per year over the last five years compared with only 4.8% per year in Kent.

These figures are being driven by key developments taking place in Ashford.

Meanwhile more businesses are set to benefit from Scale-Up Ashford, the first council-funded high growth scale up programme for businesses in the south east. Delivered in partnership with Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, this programme is stimulating demand for premises from local companies that have huge growth potential. Two cohorts of firms have already benefited and we have seen £1.5m of investment in capital expenditure and 33 jobs created.

Iconic Britpop band The Lightning Seeds has been announced as the headline act for the Create Music Festival.

Famous for a string of hits including Pure, Sense, Life of Riley, and Lucky You, The Lightning Seeds are now probably best known for their football anthem ‘Three Lions’ – which has become a No.1 hit single on three separate occasions, including during last year’s World Cup.

Create Festival takes place in Victoria

Park on Saturday, July 20, and this year marks the 24th year of the festival, which has grown to be one of the largest in the south east.

Finally, this will be my last column ahead of our local elections in May. Whatever your political persuasion I would encourage everyone to take the opportunity to vote.

To be able to vote you must be registered no later than Friday, April 12 – visit www. gov.uk/register-to-vote for more details.