ABOUT ASHFORD The Kent town of Ashford is on the south edge of the North Downs, about 61 miles (98km southeast of London and 15.3 miles (24.6km) northwest of Folkestone, with a population of 118,000 (2011 Census). The history of Ashford as a market town dates back to 1243, becoming one of Kent’s most important by the 1600s. With the opening of the international passenger station, the town of Ashford is now an important European transport hub with new lines running between London and the Channel Tunnel (via High Speed 1). The M20 motorway also links Ashford to those two destinations for road traffic. Ashford has been targeted as a key area for population development since the 1960s. In 1959, the London County Council negotiated 5000 new homes to be built in Ashford as overspill from London, which created most of what is now South Ashford and Kennington. The Buchanan Report, published in 1967, identified Ashford as a major town for growth. In 2001, Ashford was identified as one of four key areas for expansion in South East England.
Subsequently, the Ashford’s Future Company was set up to support a mix of publicly and privately funded projects in the town.
Ashford’s population and economy continues to grow year on year, making the area a popular choice for more people to live and work.
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