Park Mall Shopping Centre to play its part in Town Centre transformation

Long-held plans to transform Park Mall Shopping Centre moved a step closer after Ashford Borough Council’s Cabinet and Full Council approved plans to demolish the shopping centre, replace it with an interim surface level car park and explore ideas for what the area could be transformed to in the future. 

Despite the council’s best efforts to revive its fortunes, the Park Mall shopping complex has been in a state of spiralling decline for several years and is operating at a significant loss.

Therefore, this move would reduce the council’s operating losses on the site and pave the way forward for the onward redevelopment and regeneration of Park Mall.

This has been a long-held ambition for the council and remains a key priority, as set out in our current corporate plan - Our Plan for the Borough (2024-2028).

By securing the freehold, the council now has full control over the onward redevelopment plans for the site, with these plans playing an important role in the wider regeneration of the town centre.

In December 2024, Cabinet and Full Council members agreed to recommendations to purchase the Park Mall freehold, which was completed at the end of January 2025. 

The next stage is taking forward a planning application for the demolition of Park Mall and Edinburgh Road Car Park, and the provision of an interim surface level car park and triggering break clauses for Park Mall tenants to secure vacant possession of the site by October 2025. The council will work closely with existing Park Mall tenants, and where appropriate seek to support them in relocating into vacant units elsewhere in the town centre. 

The exception would be the three tenants (O2, Kamsons and Greggs) whose units face onto Upper High Street and have longer term leases. These three units will remain, as they maintain an attractive and active presence and will not impede the wider re-development of the site.

Costly maintenance repairs

If Park Mall and Edinburgh Road Car Park were to remain and continue operating in their current format, the council would need to allocate a significant budget to maintenance and upgrade works over the next one-two years to ensure the buildings meet all the necessary compliance standards. 

Edinburgh Road car park (ERCP) provides low-cost parking in the town centre but is a low-quality parking amenity with an uninviting and hostile environment for customers and many bays are restricted due to structural columns impeding accessibility. The car park continues to experience a range of costly maintenance issues, including the lifts, which are close to their end of life.

Park Mall Shopping Centre history

The Park Mall long leasehold interest was acquired by the council in 2015 with the specific intention of facilitating a comprehensive redevelopment of Park Mall and its vicinity.

When the council purchased the centre in 2015, we were always clear that our longer-term plans were to redevelop the area away from retail, with the national picture showing how high streets and shopping habits were changing in the face of online retail.

Initially, it was about taking over an unloved part of the town centre and turning it into a hub for local, independent traders and while we have seen various traders come and go over the past decade, we feel it’s been a success within in a really difficult trading period and not that long ago we had national media including the Guardian, Times, Telegraph, Mirror and ITV showcasing how we had turned the centre’s fortunes around. 

In recent years though we have seen even more challenges across the retail sector including the loss of key anchor store Wilkos, which has had a detrimental effect on footfall.

The advent of the covid pandemic slowed down any proactive consideration of redevelopment, but it is now time to progress regeneration plans, as the asset cannot support a continued managed decline anymore. 

Park Mall to play a key role in the town centre redevelopment

The proposed residential-led, mixed-use development at Park Mall will serve as a catalyst for the regeneration of the town centre, bringing new energy and investment to the area. This project is expected to transform the area into a desirable, vibrant destination. 

It will foster a sense of pride among residents, offering high-quality housing and public spaces, while also attracting visitors and businesses. The development aims to strengthen the town’s economic resilience, improve quality of life, and contribute to the council’s broader objectives for sustainable urban regeneration.

The redevelopment will bring a range of benefits including:

• Supporting national housing objectives: Contribute to the government’s goal of increasing housing supply to meet growing demand, supporting sustainable development and helping address the housing shortage.
• Addressing retail oversupply: Help mitigate the existing surplus of retail space in the town centre, creating a more balanced and sustainable local economy.
• Improved integration: Enhance connectivity and integration of Park Mall with the surrounding town centre, encouraging foot traffic and revitalising the area.
• Enhanced connectivity: Strengthen east-west links with Kent Avenue and north-south connections, facilitating smoother, safer pedestrian and vehicle movement.
• Ring road enhancements: Create a more pleasant and pedestrian-friendly experience for crossing the ring road, improving safety and usability.

Site optimisation: Maximise the development potential by optimising land use for greater community benefit.

Cllr Simon Betty, portfolio holder for Commercial Property & Investment, said: “We have always held long term ideas to transform the centre away from retail. Despite our best efforts the centre has struggled, especially in recent years. 

“Now seems the right time to redevelop Park Mall so it continues to play an important role in the town centre’s future. Where we can, we will support the current tenants to find suitable premises elsewhere, and by building a short-term surface car park we will provide a nicer, safer environment to park.

“An important factor in bringing the centre forward for redevelopment is acquisition of the freehold interest, which provides the council with the control it needs to achieve this ambition. With the centre making unsustainable operating losses, this is an ideal opportunity to move forward with these plans.” 

The council will shortly be advertising for Development Partners who will be invited to submit proposals outlining their approach to achieving the strategic objectives outlined above. 

This invitation will provide an opportunity for experienced and qualified partners to showcase their expertise in delivering high-quality, sustainable developments that align with the council’s vision for the area.