Newtown Works

Ashford

Authority: Ashford Borough Council

Proposal: Conversion of an historic former railway works to deliver a film studio, commercial floorspace and new homes

Services: Built Heritage & Townscape

Status: Consent granted

Alongside our planning and archaeology colleagues, Iceni Built Heritage and Townscape are supporting this major regeneration scheme at Newtown Railway Works to secure a positive and sustainable future for its listed buildings.

We are providing ongoing heritage support to the mixed-use redevelopment of the former Newtown Railway Works to deliver a film/ tv studio, hotel, commercial floorspace, residential units and highquality public realm. The former Railway Works dates back to 1847 and includes five listed buildings, however since closing in 1981, it has been largely vacant and underutilised.

Working closely with the local authority and Historic England, we played an important role in advocating for careful alteration and refurbishment to the listed engine sheds within the site, and in justifying the new build elements within the site, including an 18-storey hotel tower, in relation to their impact on the setting of listed buildings as well as Ashford Town Centre Conservation Area. We engaged in key discussions surrounding finding a long-term, viable use for this ‘exceptionally challenging’ site to both allow the buildings to be preserved and to secure their sustainable future. We prepared a Heritage Statement and Environmental Statement Chapter in support of proposals which successfully argued for the clear heritage benefits of bringing the semi-derelict listed buildings back into effective and long-term use, preventing further decay, and celebrating the site’s industrial history, alongside the wider economic and social public benefits of this major regeneration scheme.

The proposals were consented in 2020 and we are now engaged in supporting the discharging of conditions.