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'{{Refimprove|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox settlement <!-- See {{Infobox settlement}} for the full list of available fields --> <!-- Elements common to United Kingdom --> | timezone = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]] | utc_offset = 0 | timezone_DST = [[British Summer Time|BST]] | utc_offset_DST = +1 <!-- Elements common to administrative division of this type (English two-tier district) --> | settlement_type = [[Non-metropolitan district]], [[Borough status in the United Kingdom|Borough]] | subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]] | subdivision_type1 = [[Constituent country]] | subdivision_type2 = [[Regions of England|Region]] | subdivision_type3 = [[Non-metropolitan county]] | subdivision_type4 = Status | subdivision_type5 = Admin HQ | subdivision_name = [[United Kingdom]] | subdivision_name1 = [[England]] | subdivision_name4 = [[Non-metropolitan district]], [[Borough status in the United Kingdom|Borough]] | government_type = Non-metropolitan district council | leader_title = Leadership | leader_title1 = [[List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 2010|MPs]] | established_title1 = Incorporated | population_density_km2 = auto | population_blank1_title = Ethnicity | blank1_name = [[ONS coding system|ONS code]] | blank2_name = [[Ordnance Survey National Grid|OS grid reference]] <!-- Elements unique to this article --> | official_name = Borough of Ashford | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_shield = ABC coat of arms.png | shield_size = | shield_alt = | shield_link = | image_map = Ashford UK locator map.svg | mapsize = 150px | map_alt = | map_caption = Ashford shown within Kent | subdivision_name2 = [[South East England]] | subdivision_name3 = [[Kent]] | subdivision_name5 = [[Ashford, Kent|Ashford]] | established_date1 = 1 April 1974 | governing_body = Ashford Borough Council | leader_party = {{English district control|GSS=E07000105}} | leader_name = Leader & Cabinet | leader_name1 = [[Damian Green]] | area_rank = {{English district area rank|GSS=E07000105}} [[List of English districts by area|(of {{English district total}})]] | area_total_km2 = 580.62 | population_total = {{English district population|GSS=E07000105}} | population_as_of = {{English statistics year}} | population_rank = {{English district rank|GSS=E07000105}} [[List of English districts by population|(of {{English district total}})]] | population_blank1 = 95.0% White<br>1.5% S.Asian<br>1.4% Black<br>1.3% Mixed Race | blank1_info = 29UB (ONS)<br />E07000105 (GSS) | blank2_info = {{gbmappingsmall|TR005425}} | website = {{URL|www.ashford.gov.uk}} }} The '''Borough of Ashford''' is a [[Non-metropolitan district|local government district]] with [[borough]] status in [[Kent]], [[England]]. It borders five other Kent districts as well as East Sussex to the South West. [http://www.ashford.gov.uk/contact-us Ashford Borough council's main offices] are in the town of [[Ashford, Kent|Ashford]]. The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the then Borough of [[Tenterden]] with [[Ashford, Kent|Ashford]] [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban district]], as well as the [[Rural District]]s of East Ashford, West Ashford and Tenterden. By area, it is the largest district in [[Kent]]. Beyond the town of [[Ashford, Kent|Ashford]], most of the Borough's land area is rural compromising fields, woodland and fruit [[orchard]]s. Much of the woodland is [[Coppicing|coppiced]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/uploads/documents/EN_Landscape_and_Nature_for_all_coppice_rfs.pdf|title = Coppicing in the Kent Downs AONB|date = January 2016|access-date = |website = |publisher = http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/|last = |first = }}</ref> Changes in rural land use over the past century mirror those in the rest of the present County.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Kent in the Twentieth Century|last = Yates|first = Nigel|publisher = Boydell & Brewe|year = 2001|isbn = 9780851155876|location = |pages = 71 ff}}</ref> The North East of the Borough, including the villages of [[Wye, Kent|Wye]] and [[Chilham]], is within the [[Kent Downs AONB]] whist the South West of the district including [[Rolvenden]] and the [[Isle of Oxney]] is part of the [[High Weald AONB]] . In addition to these national landscape areas, the Borough has many smaller [[Local nature reserve|Local Nature Reserves]] such as [[Hothfield Common]]. The Borough is divided into 39 civil parishes centred on its villages and the Town of [[Tenterden]]. Ashford itself has experienced phases of rapid urban growth from the 1960's onward creating new suburbs such as [[Stanhope, Kent|Stanhope]] and, more recently, [[Sevington]]. Today's urban growth is partially shaped by the ''de facto'' corridors <ref>{{Cite web|title = Ashford, Kent|url = https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=zoVMTLIVZJ5A.kK2kwghUhlpQ&hl=en_US|website = Map of Ashford|access-date = 2016-01-23}}</ref> created by the [[M20 motorway]], [[High Speed 1|the High Speed 1]] line and several other rail lines which converge on the [[Ashford International railway station|town's railway station]]<nowiki/> and this has contributed to particular development pressure on, and the development of, [[Greenfield land|greenfield sites]] in and adjacent to the town. ==Population== ===== Expansion and Growth: ===== In 1961, the populations of the Districts which make up the present Borough's population were: Ashford U.D. : 28,000 East Ashford R.D. : 10,610,West Ashford R.D. :10,734 and the Borough of Tenterden : 7,626 giving a total of 56,970. Forty years later the population had almost doubled with the 2001 Census recording a population of 102,661. Ashford Borough Council predicts that the population will reach 141,100 by the year 2021.[1]Ashford Borough's Population 1801 - 2021 (Forecast) The 2011 census reported Ashford as having: ·        117,956 residents ·        47,787 households (an increase of just under 6,000 since 2001) ·        83% of residents describing their health as 'good' or 'very good' ·        13% of residents describing their health as 'fair' ·        16.8% of those over the age of 16 having no qualifications ·        an unemployment rate of 2.6% of all economically active people aged 16–74 (an increase since 2001 of 0.2%) ==Housing and architecture== [[File:Chilham Castle, Kent - geograph.org.uk - 379208.jpg|thumb|Chilham Castle is in Ashford borough]] The layout of the main town is one of a medieval-layout European village centre, largely re-built upon with housing a combination of low-rise apartments, semi-detached, terraced or detached homes with gardens. In the villages [[low-rise]] dominates: the incidence of flats exceeding two storeys is very rare. {{see also|Grade I listed buildings in Ashford (borough)}} The number of [[listed buildings]] in the district exceeds 400. This includes 33 churches listed in the highest grading in the national listing system (Grade I). [[Oast house]]s and listed [[public houses]] date typically to the 17th and 18th centuries with a minority built in the centuries to either side. Examples at Grade I also include the Archbishop's palace at [[Charing]] and [[Chilham Castle]]. Smaller listed examples are original Tudor tall two-storeyed shop/restaurant buildings in [[Biddenden]].<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1184943}}</ref> ==Local government== {{see also|Ashford local elections}} There are 43 electoral wards in the Borough; 18 of those split up Ashford town broadly defined.<ref>[http://www.ashford.gov.uk/cgi-bin/members/index.cfm ] {{wayback|url=http://www.ashford.gov.uk/cgi-bin/members/index.cfm |date=20070408163059 |df=y }}</ref> The [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative party]] has held control of the council for much of its history, apart from periods where no party had a majority and has had a majority since the [[Ashford Council election, 2003|2003 election]]. The make-up can change quickly as it is elected as a whole (not one third at a time). For the four year from the [[Ashford Council election, 2011|election in 2011]] the council became composed of councillors of these parties:-<ref name="glance">{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/council/html/29ub.stm|title=England council elections|publisher=[[BBC News Online]]|accessdate=5 June 2011}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- !Year !! [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] !! Ashford Independent !! [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] !! [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] !! [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |2011|| 30 || 5 || 5 || 2 || 1 |} At present (Jan 2016), there 39 [[Civil parishes in England|civil parishes]] within Ashford District plus [http://www.tenterdentowncouncil.gov.uk/ Tenterden] which is the only town council: {|cellspacing=10 |- | valign=top | *[[Aldington, Kent|Aldington]] *[[Appledore, Kent|Appledore]] *[[Bethersden]] *[[Biddenden]] *[[Bilsington]] *[[Bonnington]] *[[Boughton Aluph and Eastwell]] *[[Brabourne]] *[[Brook, Kent|Brook]] *[[Challock]] *[[Charing]] *[[Chilham]] *[[Crundale, Kent|Crundale]] | valign=top | *[[Egerton, Kent|Egerton]] *[[Godmersham]] *[[Great Chart]] with [[Singleton, Kent|Singleton]] *[[Hamstreet]]/[[Orlestone]] *[[Hastingleigh]] *[[High Halden]] *[[Hothfield]] *[[Kenardington]] *[[Kingsnorth]] *[[Little Chart]] *[[Mersham]] *[[Molash]] *[[Newenden]] | valign=top | *[[Pluckley]] *[[Rolvenden]] *[[Ruckinge]] *[[Sevington]] *[[Shadoxhurst]] *[[Smarden]] *[[Smeeth]] *[[Stone-cum-Ebony]] *[[Tenterden]] *[[Warehorne]] *[[Westwell, Kent|Westwell]] *[[Wittersham]] *[[Woodchurch, Kent|Woodchurch]] *[[Wye, Kent|Wye]] with [[Hinxhill]] |} == Economy and Infrastructure: == [[Image:Hamstreet.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Village sign along the [[Greensand Way]] in Ashford borough]] The area's economy, once strongly dominated by agriculture and associated activities such as brewing and food production as well as some quarrying of [[Kentish ragstone|ragstone]] and brick manufacture, evolved into a centre for [[Ashford railway works|rail engineering]] in the 19th Century and is now primarily light industrial and commercial with the notable exception of [http://www.hitachirail-eu.com/maintenance_40.html Hitachi's rail depot]. The [http://www.ashford.gov.uk/local-plan-to-2030 Borough's local plan] ("New Local Plan to 2030") continues to plan for new housing in and around the town such as the development at [[Finberry]]. From the historic town centre, roads radiate out in the following directions: NW to [[Charing]] and [[Maidstone]] and SE to [[Hythe, Kent|Hythe]] and [[Folkestone]] (A20/M20); South to [[Hamstreet]], [[Lydd]] and [[Romney Marsh]] and then Westwards to [[Hastings]] ([[A2070 road|A2070]]); SW to [[Tenterden]] and NE to [[Wye, Kent|Wye]] and [[Canterbury]] ([[A28 road|A28]]) and North to Ashford's historic port at [[Faversham]] ([[A251 road|A251]]). ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://myashford.com/ MyAshford.com - Ashford's Online Community] *[http://www.ashfordlocal.co.uk/ Ashford Local] - A website about Ashford Borough in Kent {{Ashford}} {{Ashford, Kent}} {{SE England}} {{coord|51.1465|N|0.8676|E|type:adm2nd_region:GB_dim:10000|display=title}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2011}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ashford}} [[Category:Local government in Kent]] [[Category:Borough of Ashford| ]] [[Category:Non-metropolitan districts of Kent]] [[Category:Local government districts of South East England]]'