Work starts on new homes to replace properties damaged by Mill View explosion

Ashford Borough Council has started work on building four new homes to replace a row of houses that were badly damaged following an explosion at Mill View in Willesborough in 2021.

Contractor Jenner has begun construction of two three-bedroom homes and two two-bedroom homes constructed on the cleared site where 13, 15, 17 and 19 Mill View previously stood.

It was just before 8am on Tuesday, 4 May 2021 when an explosion ripped through the street, shattering windows and waking sleeping neighbours. Seven people were injured in the blast, with five taken to the William Harvey Hospital and two taken to London with what would later be described as "life-changing" injuries.  

Three council-owned properties and one privately owned home were badly damaged in the explosion, which a Kent Fire & Rescue Service investigation later found was caused by a leak from a portable gas heater in one of the homes. Alternative accommodation was provided for the people affected.

The new homes will be built to a high standard, with a focus on energy efficiency, including solar panels on roofs. Measures have also been included that will help ‘future-proof’ the properties – straight stairs that would allow a stair-lift to be installed if required, and square shaped bathrooms so they could easily be converted into a wet room.

Work on building the four new homes in Mill View is expected to be completed by August 2025.

Cllr Noel Ovenden, Leader of Ashford Borough Council and Portfolio Holder for Housing & Homelessness, said: “I'm passionate about providing genuinely affordable quality housing for everyone, so I'm thrilled that our Housing team is working on a project to replace the homes that were sadly destroyed by fire.

“These new homes will be built to a higher standard, with green features and future-proof designs that can adapt to changing needs.”