Kentish Express Ashford & District
‘Money from taxpayers is at risk here’
Cllr Liz Wright (Green) praised the environmental considerations of the scheme but agreed with the area’s community forum in saying sustainability of the wider plan could be improved, with the proposal meeting regulations but going no further - a concern supported by committee members speaking later.
She also highlighted the lack of affordable housing, a point returned to later by Cllr Euan Anckorn (Lab).
He raised an ABC assessment that suggested all future housing projects in the borough should feature 50% affordable housing, to which Cllr Anckorn said: “It’s perhaps unsurprising that this won’t be delivered when even the council-backed developer here isn’t bringing forward any affordable homes or housing of any kind in the application.
“There’s great demand for affordable housing from young people such as myself in Ashford that is not being met all too often.
“The developer may be independent from the council but it is using taxpayers’ money, it’s taxpayers’ money that is at risk.”
Earlier this month, permission was obtained to knock down the ex-HomePlus site, which is now surrounded by temporary fencing.
When permission to bulldoze the shop was gained, the ‘Ashford Shard’ scheme was yet to be discussed by the planning committee, but bosses said they want to demolish the shop so the site “can be safely cleared and made ready for redevelopment ahead of a decision being taken”.