Kentish Express Ashford & District
Office block plan would be launch of Commercial Quarter
An application to kickstart the first phase of Ashford Borough Council’s (ABC) Commercial Quarter masterplan has been submitted.
Quinn Estates have lodged a planning application to build a six-storey office block in the new Dover Place, near Ashford International Station.
The new building will take up much of the car park in Station Road, next to the Everest Inn restaurant, which currently holds 150 parking spaces.
But the developers have also submitted plans to expand the Stour Centre car park, which they say will actually increase the total number of spaces in the area to 220.
Proposals to transform the area were submitted by the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) and granted outline planning permission in March 2013.
But t he new application proposes a taller building to include an extra floor on the office block.
The Commercial Quarter is one of ABC’s Big 8 projects, which is made up of large-scale developments around the borough.
It is set to create several hundred jobs, up to 590,000 square feet of office space and 150 apartments.
Council leader Cllr Gerry Clarkson said it would be “a dynamic, new, main business hub, stimulating major investment opportunities and creating several hundred jobs.”
The council has already purchased International House, with tenants including a gaming business from across the channel, Eclypsia, Swedish bank Handelsbanken and the county’s investment promotion agency Locate in Kent.
Mr Clarkson said: “This will create a sense of place, forming an attractive walk into the town centre passing the open square of the commercial quarter and give a first-class impression of Ashford.”
If planning permission is granted, building work will start ‘as soon as possible.’
To view the proposals visit planning.ashford.gov.uk and search application 16/00554/ AS.
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