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New Ash Green

Coordinates: 51°22′N 0°18′E / 51.367°N 0.300°E / 51.367; 0.300
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The original Span-built properties in New Ash Green, with the earliest houses on the left and the original Span office and shop on the right

New Ash Green is a village in the Sevenoaks District of Kent. It borders the Gravesham Borough, and is located south west of Gravesend. At the 2011 Census the population of the village was included in the civil parish of Ash-cum-Ridley.

History

Building of the village began in 1967, with Span as the developer and Eric Lyons as the designer. The architectural design of New Ash Green was innovative for its time, and its original concept was intended as a prototype for a new way of living in the latter twentieth century. The first buildings were created to be airy, pleasant and modern. There was generous landscaping and cars were separated from pedestrians. The village is arranged in twenty four neighbourhoods.[1]

The development soon ran into difficulties. Originally, the Greater London Council was going to buy 450 of the properties for renting. This idea was dropped when the leadership of the GLC went into Conservative hands. This reduced the financial viability of the development and of the planned social mix of residents. Another problem in the early years was that some lenders were sceptical about the unconventional design of the properties and would not give mortgages.

Span, the original developer,[2] sold the project to Bovis in 1971 for £2.65 million. Bovis increased the size of the development, increasing density and giving less attention to design or provision of public space.

Facilities

The Row, New Ash Green's shopping area, in 2012

New Ash Green is a quiet residential area. It has a rugby club, épée fencing and air pistol shooting indoor, tennis club, football club, shops, children's parks, a primary school, a special needs school and many more public buildings.

The shopping centre became run-down due to lack of maintenance from overseas absentee landlords. Plans were put forward in 2008 to redesign the village's shops.[3]

Transport

New Ash Green is served by the Arriva Kent bus routes 423/433 to Dartford via Bluewater and Longfield, and 489 to Gravesend via Longfield and Southfleet. The nearest rail link to New Ash Green is at Longfield station.

References

  1. ^ Friends of New Ash Green Village Centre (FONAGVC) Website of the Friends of the New Ash Green Village Centre:includes history of the development of the village
  2. ^ History of the village and architects: website by SPAN
  3. ^ Plans to revamp village News Shopper 4 June 2008

Media related to New Ash Green at Wikimedia Commons


51°22′N 0°18′E / 51.367°N 0.300°E / 51.367; 0.300

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