Garden Communities Funding boost for South of Ashford Garden Community

The South Ashford Garden Community (SAGC) has been allocated £755,000 funding by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

The Garden Communities fund supports accelerated housing delivery and high quality infrastructure in line with the garden community principles; building communities which are flexible, resilient and sustainable for the future.

The SAGC received garden village status in 2019. It includes the Chilmington Green, Court Lodge and Kingsnorth Green developments (the latter two sites are making their way through the planning process, while Chilmington Green received planning permission in 2014).

This funding means a number of projects for the SAGC can now be taken forward. They include:

• Improved access to, through and around Discovery Park and nearby Coleman’s Kitchen woods (Public Rights of Way)
• Delivery of sustainable transport projects
• The creation of a community pod/space for the local community to use
• Stodmarsh Nutrient Neutrality Assessment and exploring bio-diversity net gain opportunities
• Further community development work and projects
• Improving information sharing and communication for local residents
• Supporting the growth of the Community Stakeholder Group

Cllr Neil Bell, portfolio holder for planning at Ashford Borough Council, said: “Building communities in the style of historic villages, that have evolved over hundreds of years into places that people own and feel part of rather than simply live in is at the heart of what the SAGC is endeavouring to achieve.

“The funding gives us further opportunities to start working on initiatives that will knit the new residents and the current residents into playing an important role in developing the area in which they live. As the new homes are built and occupied the residents will have the opportunity to promote leisure, sporting, environmental and public art opportunities to make the SAGC a really great place to live.”

The Garden Communities programme supports house building in 43 towns and villages from Cornwall to Carlisle and will deliver over 300,000 homes, up to 90,000 of which will be affordable.

• £15 million funding to support delivery of thousands of new homes in beautiful, green Garden Communities across England
• Part of a £69 million programme to deliver up to 16,000 homes per year from 2025, creating almost 200,000 jobs and boosting the economy
• Builds on the Government’s plans to level up the country, regenerate underused land and bring forward beautiful new developments

Housing Minister Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP said: “Building beautiful new homes in the places they are most needed lies at the heart of the Government’s levelling up mission.

“Garden villages and towns are perfect examples of the vibrant, green communities we want to see right across the country and today’s funding will allow us to work hand-in-hand with local leaders and industry to deliver the high-quality new homes that we need.”