Kentish Express Ashford & District
270 new homes get the green light
Almost 270 homes are to be built in Stanhope following council approval – despite concerns over a lack of affordable housing.
The site of the existing Ray Allen Centre and former Linden Grove Primary School will house 269 dwellings ranging from two- to four-storeys.
At this point only an outline application, the principle of the development, has been approved by nine votes to four with two abstentions.
Major aspects of the Kent County Council-led development include a 64-house extra care housing complex and a replacement for the Ray Allen Centre.
Among the homes proposed, 57 one-bed and 49 two-bed flats are included.
As part of the project, a replacement Ray Allen Centre and sports pitches will be built on the Oak Field next to the
Courtside sports facility.
Part of the reason KCC is building the scheme is to claw back money already spent constructing the nearby John Wallis Academy primary school.
Financial contributions would have gone towards this payment before being invested in affordable housing – a fact which proved an obstacle to the Ashford Borough Council debate.
After the scheme was deferred at a February meeting, a viability report in May indicated it would not be possible to introduce affordable housing on top of other contributions.
Money could instead go towards off-site provision of lower cost accommodation.
Cllr Noel Ovenden (Ash Ind) asked for assurances that this housing could be within a kilometre or as near as possible.