Ashford (borough)

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The borough was formed on April 1, 1974 by the merger of the borough of Tenterden with Ashford urban district, and the East Ashford, West Ashford and Tenterden Rural Districts.

Although a large part of the Borough is still mainly rural, that around Ashford is undergoing a complete change, since it is fast becoming an industrial and commercial centre. The corridor caused by the M20 motorway and High Speed 1 and its railway station have led to much hitherto agricultural land being turned to other uses.

Ashford was named one of the worst areas in the whole if England, and this reputation is making more and more people leave the ares in serach of more quiet local areas like Whitstable.

Population

In 1801, the population of Ashford and Willesborough was 2,600; in 1861 this had more than tripled to 8,800; by 1901 12,808 [ [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Ashford 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica] ] and in 1961 the figure was 28,000. The census, for Ashford, in 1991 showed the total number of persons as 92,331 and by 2001 it had risen to 102,661. Kent [http://www.kent.gov.uk/ County Council's] mid year estimated population, for 2004 is 107,700 showing substantial continued growth in the size of the town, the most growth in Kent. The County Council's population forecasts for 2011 and 2016 are 119,600 and 129,000 giving an increase of 25.2% since 2001. [ [http://www.kent.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4A80B865-C53D-475D-916E-65D01E357993/4317/popandcensusstrategyapr06.pdf KCC's Strategy-based (Apr '06): Population Forecasts] ] Ashford Borough Council predicts that the growth will continue to rise to 141,100 by the year 2021. [ [https://secure.ashford.gov.uk/pages/liv_wrk/liv_wrk_fig_dem.jsp Ashford Borough Council] ] The 2001 Census reported Ashford as having [ [http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/NeighbourhoodProfileSearch.do?areaId=277003 National Statistics] ]
*41,450 households
*70% of residents describing their health as 'good'
*27% of 16-74 year olds having no qualifications
*an unemployment rate of 2.4% of all economically active people aged 16-74

Local government

There are 43 electoral wards in the Borough; 18 of those serve Ashford town; the remainder the outlying villages [ [http://www.ashford.gov.uk/cgi-bin/members/index.cfm Members of the Borough Council; their wards] ] .

There are two town councils in the Borough: Ashford itself, and Tenterden.

There are 39 civil parishes within Ashford District. They are:

The area, once mainly rural, is now fast becoming an industrial and commercial centre, particularly where the town of Ashford is concerned. The corridor caused by the M20 motorway and High Speed 1 and its International Station have led to much hitherto agricultural land being turned to other uses. The town is very much in the news due to plans to double its urban population (currently approx. 60,000) over the next 30 years, with new housing planned in areas around the town such as Cheeseman's Green.

From the town centre, roads radiate to Charing and Maidstone (A20/M20), Faversham (A251), Wye and Canterbury (A28), Hythe and Folkestone (A20/M20), Hamstreet, Lydd and Hastings (A2070) and Tenterden (A28).

References

External links

* [http://heartofkent.org.uk/site/five-kentish-towns/ashford-and-tenterden/ Heart of Kent - Ashford Accommodation, Places to Visit & Events]
* [http://www.ashfordlocal.co.uk Ashford Local] - A website about Ashford Borough in Kent