New play space on track for arrival to Ashford Town Centre in the New Year

Photos courtesy of Kompan

Younger visitors to Ashford Town Centre will soon be able to get on board a new dedicated play space, as exciting plans for a new train themed play area near to the bandstand have been unveiled by Ashford Borough Council.

**UPDATE** Unfortunately, there has been a delay with the train, and it’s now likely to arrive in the New Year (Springtime). We’ll provide an update in the New Year, including more details on our Play Train naming competition for schools.

As part of the Ashford Town Centre Reset (TCR) Action Plan, the concept of installing play equipment to increase dwell time and spend within the town locally was agreed.

It will see the installation of engaging and visually appealing play equipment in the raised planter area in front of the bandstand. The design is sympathetic to the surrounding area and will create a fun, attractive space for young children and families to enjoy in the heart of the town centre.

The equipment will be specifically designed to reflect Ashford's unique heritage, incorporating elements related to our railway history, such as locomotives, carriages, and station platforms.

This thematic approach aims to:

• Spark children's imaginations and create a fun and interactive space for families.
• Serve as a conversation starter and/or meeting point.
• Increase time spent in the town centre and money spent.
• Prompt exploration of Ashford's past among residents and visitors.
• Contribute to the town's cultural identity and sense of place.

It will cost around £150,000, which covers manufacturing, installation, and ongoing maintenance and will be funded by the national UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and developer contributions (Section106) from the Designer Outlet and The Range developments.

Cllr Heather Hayward, portfolio holder for tourism and culture, said: “I’m chuffed to see this project come to fruition. We want to create a play space for young families and children to have fun and enjoy, bringing life to this area. This will enhance the look of the Town Centre, creating a more vibrant and attractive space which will hopefully increase visitor numbers, encourage young families to stay longer and spend more money with our local businesses.

“The type and style of the play equipment has been chosen with sustainability in mind as well as considering things like maintenance, damage, anti-social behaviour in the design process. It has also been designed with accessibility and access for children of all abilities, so we hope all of our youngest residents will enjoy its arrival."

This follows on from initiatives such as the temporary seating, furnishings and bunting decorated upper Bank Street and Middle Row over the past few summers, as well as events like Unframed Mural Festival last spring, Food & Drink Festival throughout July, Create Music Village in the Autumn and the ever-popular Carnival of the Baubles trail in November.
Last month plans for the expansion of the monthly Makers Market and creation of new permanent street trading pitches within Ashford Town Centre were also put forward.

“At the moment the new play train engine is without a name, so we will be reaching out to local schools in the new term to seek children’s suggestions for a suitable one. Further town centre improvement projects are on track in the background, and we look forward to updating residents on these in due course”, Cllr Hayward added.

The works are being undertaken by KOMPAN, who installed the large bespoke playground at the Ashford Designer Outlet and many more around the borough.

Rob McDonald. KOMPAN Area Sales Manager said: “We were absolutely delighted to be awarded the contract to install the new train themed play area in Ashford Town Centre. We worked diligently with the KOMPAN Design Studio to create this unique train themed play structure around the existing planter area and look forward to welcoming visitors into Ashford Town Centre to play."