Kings Hill

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.273
longitude= 0.400
official_name= Kings Hill
population = 2,638 (2001 census)
shire_district= Tonbridge and Malling
shire_county = Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Tonbridge and Malling
post_town=West Malling|postcode_district = ME19
postcode_area= ME |dial_code= 01732
os_grid_reference= TQ591468

Kings Hill is a civil parish and one of several new villages built in the Borough of Tonbridge and Malling, Kent since the 1950s (other examples include Vigo and New Ash Green). Development started in 1989 near West Malling, on land previously occupied by the Ministry of Defence as the airfield RAF West Malling. The plan is for a multi-purpose site of both residential and office/business space. The ultimate aim is to have some 2500 homes and 1 million square feet (93,000 m²) of commercial properties. Some of the site featured in 2007 Channel 4 drama series Cape Wrath.

Kings Hill has recently become a popular choice for buying a new home, and the parish now has a frequent bus service to and from West Malling, Maidstone, Chatham and Tunbridge Wells. The nearest railway station is located in West Malling, with a regular shuttle bus service operating between Kings Hill and the station during weekdays. Good road linkage to the M20 has meant that travelling times to surrounding places have decreased.

Kings Hill has also become home to several council offices and company headquarters. Kings Hill has, amongst other points of interest: an ASDA supermarket, a Shepherd Neame public house named "The Spitfire", two primary schools, smaller shops, doctor's surgery, vets, an optician, pharmacist, restaurants, cafés and bars.

The 2004 "Wealth of the Nation" report listed the Kings Hill postcode sector (ME19 4), as having the highest average income and the highest proportion of households earning greater than £100,000 per annum in Great Britain. Although Kings Hill remains conspicuously wealthy it does not appear in the 2006 report.

In common with many newer villages and developments Kings Hill currently lacks a dedicated church and does not constitute an ecclesiastical parish, instead falling predominantly within the parishes of Mereworth and West Malling. In 2003 the Diocese of Rochester of the Church of England appointed the first full-time resident minister to meet the pastoral needs of the growing business and residential community.

Construction of houses and other buildings is set to continue in Kings Hill as Kent County Council have purchased new land for building. There is talk of another Primary School and maybe even a Secondary School. Another access road will be needed soon if the current rate of expansion continues.

Kings Hill has its own cricket club, [http://kingshillcc.play-cricket.com/ Kings Hill cricket club] , set up to make use of the cricket pitch being developed opposite the Discovery School.

Demography

As of the 2001 UK census, the Kings Hill electoral ward had a population of 3,024. The ethnicity was 97.3% white, 1% mixed race, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% black and 0.3% other. The place of birth of residents was 93.4% United Kingdom, 0.5% Republic of Ireland, 1.8% other Western European countries, and 4.3% elsewhere. Religion was recorded as 77.5% Christian, 0.1% Buddhist, 0.4% Hindu, 0.1% Sikh, 0% Jewish, and 0.4% Muslim. 15.5% were recorded as having no religion, 0.1% had an alternative religion and 5.8% did not state their religion.cite web | title = Neighbourhood Statistics | publisher = Statistics.gov.uk | url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadDatasetList.do?a=3&b=5945191&c=Kings+Hill&d=14&g=460696&i=1001x1003&m=0&r=1&s=1204029657203&enc=1&domainId=16 | accessdate = 2008-02-22]

The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 50.8% in full-time employment, 12.7% in part-time employment, 10% self-employed, 1.8% unemployed, 1.3% students with jobs, 1.5% students without jobs, 7.5% retired, 10.7% looking after home or family, 2.1% permanently sick or disabled and 1.7% economically inactive for other reasons. The industry of employment of residents was 14.5% retail, 12.2% manufacturing, 5% construction, 18.2% real estate, 8.1% health and social work, 5.6% education, 6.9% transport and communications, 6.7% public administration, 2.3% hotels and restaurants, 13.7% finance, 0.5% agriculture and 6.3% other. Compared with national figures, the ward had a relatively high proportion of workers in finance and real estate. There were a relatively low proportion in agriculture, education, construction, hotels and restaurants. Of the ward's residents aged 16–74, 29.1% had a higher education qualification or the equivalent, compared with 19.9% nationwide.

References

ee also

*RAF West Malling
*West Malling

External links

* [http://www.kingshill.com KingsHill.com - Premium Services for the Kings Hill community]
* [http://www.me19.co.uk me19.co.uk - The No:1 Kings Hill community news portal]
* [http://www.kings-hill.com Kings Hill Website]