New Ash Green Village Centre
New Ash Green is a wonderful community. It is unique in how it was developed and the design standards that are set continue to make it a place many wish to live.
Sadly, there is one part which lets it down. The Village Centre.
The regeneration of New Ash Green is increasingly urgent. Shopkeepers, the Village Association, Ash-cum-Ridley Parish Council, Sevenoaks District Council and many residents across the village all agree with the need to improve the area.
KMP Solutions are responsible for the maintenance and regeneration of New Ash Green Village Centre. I have tried to secure funding to help them work with Kent Police, SDC and others to encourage more investment into the community. But there is more they need to do.
Over the past few months I have been working to understand KMP Solutions vision for its future. They’ve published a Development Plan (HERE) and a Regeneration Plan (HERE). But are they ambitious enough?
This is where I need your help. Please let me know using the form on this page what your thoughts are about the Village Centre. We are lucky to have a number of shops but how can we keep them here, encourage more people to come to the Village Centre, and improve the whole area?
I’m keen to hear from you so you are able to share with me your perspective on what can be done to help regenerate New Ash Green Village Centre.
A summary of the responses so far can be found below.
What improvements would you like to see in New Ash Green Village Centre?
Based on the analysis of the results so far, all residents want New Ash Green Village Centre to feel warm, light, welcoming and friendly. Those who have lived in the village for decades say it used to feel like this but has been allowed to go downhill over the past decade due to poor management, lack of investment, and ignorance of issues by owners. They like the sense of community they have now but believe this could be built on.
All respondents take the view that the Village Centre is run-down, dangerous and an eyesore, and they welcome the new developments and encourage them to be completed as quickly as possible due to the health and safety hazards in the centre. They believe the current waste management system is insufficient as bins in the Village Centre are often left overflowing. Respondents disagree on whether new housing would be beneficial to the village and some add that it is likely to create strains on local facilities.
Local facilities and shops
Respondents use the Village Centre library, shops, the surgery and the Village Hall and enjoy eating at the Indian restaurant Spice Village but want more work to be done to keep these running and in good condition
General facilities and appearance of the Village Centre
Respondents raised concerns surrounding the public toilets by the bus stop that were refurbished and warmly welcomed and received by residents. They are dissatisfied with the fact they are often locked and therefore not available to be used. One resident suggested shopkeepers should hold keys to the toilets and be able to open them as and when necessary
There is a lack of sufficient seating areas, particularly for elderly visitors, and added this means people do not stay in the village centre for long.
Respondents agree that flower arrangements and small trees would make the centre more bright, welcoming and friendly. Some expressed their concerns that they would be vandalised
The poor appearance of the cladding around the Studio and puts off visitors to the village
Health and safety standards in the centre are an issue. They are worried about high-up broken windows, rain water outlets that direct water out onto walkways, leaks through the ceiling in the chemist, and communal bin storage areas that are in poor condition. The resident does not believe that the financial contributions of the shops in the centre to upkeep the area are spent wisely
Antisocial Behaviour
It is viewed that there to be a lack of police presence in the village which allows young people to intimidate visitors and commit anti-social behaviour without consequence. They added that when they report incidents to the police they are not properly dealt with so residents involved in incidents rarely report them anymore. Another resident suggested running a crime prevention stand in the centre
Car Parking
Many spaces in the Studio car park are regularly unusable due to localised flooding. Another resident mentioned the importance of keeping the car park as it is always under high demand, adding that removing parking spaces seems counterproductive
Views on KMP Solutions Plan
Respondents have raised concerns that the development plans are not ambitious enough but welcome the idea of regeneration of the centre as the area is already well used by the local community so would be beneficial.
Multiple residents raised the fact that there are no electric vehicle charging points in the centre, adding several would encourage visitors to the centre and for them to spend time around the centre.
FUTURE OF THE POST OFFICE
The announcement of the closure of Morrisons Daily in the Village Centre is extremely disappointing for the village, especially because it is where our Post Office is located.
This is part of closures nationally with the Post Office in Longfield closing, as is the Morrisons Daily store in Tonbridge. Fortunately the Post Office remains open in Hartley. Morrisons Daily also will remain open until at least the middle of July.
I have met with the Post Office to understand further about its future in New Ash Green. They have confirmed that the three biggest reasons to use the Post Office are for online shopping pick up, cash withdrawals and banking deposits.
The good news is that we can still withdraw cash from one of the ATMs in the village, and there are other stores which can be used as a base to collect online shopping orders. However I am particularly concerned about banking deposits, as well as the other services which the Post Office provides and cannot be replicated elsewhere.
I have contacted alternative stores in New Ash Green which are capable of hosting the Post Office, who have told me they are keen to remain if they can find alternative premises. I am in the process of organising meetings to help find an alternative location.