10th Jul 2020: MICA appointed to Ashford town centre redevelopment

Ashford Borough Council has appointed specialist developer, Milligan, to help deliver the Vicarage Lane town centre redevelopment project. The new team also includes MICA (architect) and AECOM (project manager).

The scheme aims to deliver quality homes, cultural and performance space, food and drink outlets and workspace to complement the market town’s history and heritage. The council’s proposals include the part demolition of the rear of a former bingo hall to reveal an uninterrupted view to the iconic Grade I listed St Mary’s Church, while retaining the high street frontage of the building to create a multi-use indoor event space.

Cllr Paul Clokie, Ashford Borough Council’s portfolio holder for corporate property, stated: “We believe this scheme will help rejuvenate Ashford, enhance our cultural offer, create significant employment opportunities and help attract inward investment for the benefit of local communities. High Streets were facing challenging times even before the Coronavirus pandemic sent our town centres into lockdown. As we emerge from lockdown, there is an even more compelling need for our High Streets to reinvent themselves and what they offer. The council is committed to revitalising Ashford’s town centre and I’m confident that this specialist team will help us take this exciting scheme forward.”

This tender was first published by TenderStream on 02.09.2019 and can be viewed in our archive here