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Original poster

BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN ASHFORD KENT!!!!!!!!!

16 replies

whatsthestoryinbalamorytoday · 05/05/2006 22:52

HI

NEED SOME INFO AS TO WHAT AREAS ARE NICE TO LIVE IN, IN ASHFORD KENT, AND WHERE WE SHOULD BE AVOIDING TO BUY A PLACE.

OP posts:
tobysmumkent · 05/05/2006 23:15

Don't want to start any arguments, but I'd say look at the villages around Ashford if you doon't have to be in the town itself. Would somewhere like Tenterden be too far from the town for you? We're about 12 miles out (and about 6 miles from Tenterden), 15 mins from the coast, lots of woodlands, walks for kiddies (south of Ashford). Also, consider that Ashford is expanding massively, so rural but close to town might soon just be town!

tallulah · 06/05/2006 15:39

Hopefully these links will work- previous threads on Ashford. Like most towns there are good bits and bad bits. Most houses are on estates, and some estates have more facilities than others. Also depends what you need in terms of facilities- primary or secondary schools, access to station etc. I wouldn't live here through choice, but other people seem to love it- and thousands are moving in every week so they must know something I don't!

older threads \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=9&threadid=126460\here}

and \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=9&threadid=11478\here}

Original poster
whatsthestoryinbalamorytoday · 06/05/2006 16:29

We need to be close to the station. I've been told by estate agents to avoid the Stanhope Estate (Not meaning to start another argument!!!) and Nine Acres in Kennington.

There's a possibility that hubby will be working in Canterbury, is the situation there the same? We've heard a lot of good things about Ashford that's the main reason why we're thinking of moving there.

I know the Kent area well, was brought up in Eltham which is borderline and had to visit Maidstone alot for work (which I thought was not very nice just very chavvy).

Any further info about Ashford and surrounding areas with good transport links would be greatly appreciated!!!!

OP posts:
tallulah · 08/05/2006 17:01

Good transport links- what are they?!

To get anywhere from Ashford you have to use the M20, which is also the main cross channel route so it is busy all the time. The road to Canterbury should take 20 minutes but can be anything up to an hour because it is single carriageway and very slow.

Canterbury itself has more facilities but it is expensive to buy there.

Your estate agent has told you right! Nearest to the station would be the new estate by the flour mills- sorry no idea what it is called. Otherwise Willesborough or Park Farm or the new estate at Orbital Park. Depends whether you are looking at estates or older houses.

If your children are already school age you need to sort out school places before you move. If they are under 5 you might be ok but as I've said before we have a primary school in spitting distance of our house and they wouldn't take our children. Don't assume that proximity to school means you'll get a place.

PinkKerPlink · 08/05/2006 20:31

if husband is working in canterbury why have you decided to buy ashford I live the other side iof canterbury on the coast, takes about 20 mins to drive into canterbury centre(traffic pending)

tallulah, sometimes it is quicker to take the A251 to faversham and then get onto the A2 up to canternury, is this which way you go? It takes me 40 mins to get from H Bay to Ashford, but then again my husband says I drive far too fastShock

Katemum · 08/05/2006 20:38

Estate agent is completely right.
Canterbury is lovely but the housing is very expensive. Think there are some very nice villages around and about though.
If I was moving back I would avoid moving into Ashford itself.

swedishmum · 08/05/2006 20:39

We live in a village 8 or so miles out of Ashford - fantastic view, fairly big house etc but I really dislike living here. To buy shoes for the kids I have to trundle to Bluewater. Canterbury has improved drastically for shopping recently. Despite being in an area of outstanding natural beauty, we're in the bottom 4% for cultural access.
Ashford town is horrible (bookshop is the only decent shop) - move to Canterbury, or one of the villages in between. I lived here for 5 months before I ventured into the town.
Apologies to any Ashford locals....

PinkKerPlink · 08/05/2006 20:41

and the ring road system is a nightmare, it reminds me of wolverhampton:o

Katemum · 08/05/2006 20:42

Are they finally going to build the new shops on the old market or are they just not bothering?

swedishmum · 08/05/2006 21:03

Think we're getting a small Debenhams in 3019...

kipper22 · 08/05/2006 21:04

We rented in Ashford for a while but I can't say I ever really fell in love with the place the way I did when we were renting in Canterbury. Now living in what used to be a mining village just outside Canterbury. Although it has a bad reputation (the mining thing I think) I really love it here - lots of good community stuff going on and everyone is very friendly. Canterbury itself is expensive but we got our 3 bed house here 4 years ago for less than £90k. Otherwise, as others have said, places like herne bay and whitstable are lovely and schools in Folkestone are excellent (but that's only because I work in one!) Hope your move to our neck of the woods goes well! :)

swedishmum · 08/05/2006 21:13

Funny how none of us has anything particularly positive to say about Ashford...

PinkKerPlink · 08/05/2006 21:19

tbh i have been around the ring road and to the college there!

tallulah · 09/05/2006 21:44

PKP only just been back in. No I don't usually use the A251 because every time I do I get stuck behind someone doing 30 mph and there is nowhere to overtake. At least on the A28 there are a couple of straight bits (the revised 50 mph speed limits not withstanding)

kando · 28/07/2006 10:07

Hi Tallulah - you linked to one of my old posts!! (Was Katmum). We ended up buying a house in Mill Court, which is where the flour mill used to be. The house is nice - nothing spectacular and a bit small (if I'm honest!) We haven't actually lived there though as we moved to Holland! So it's being rented out, which is what happens to a lot of houses in Mill Court. Been in Holland for a year, another 2 to go, so will no doubt start up another thread before we come back. I can't see us living in that house for some reason. Worried about schools though - they don't seem to be doing so great at the moment. Does anyone have any input on this? The church schools have the best results but we are not religious, and I gather that Willesborough is very over-subscribed?

Kas17 · 16/11/2018 22:36

Hi there . We thinking about moving to Ashford , Kent . Have to boys 7& 3 years old. Can you please tell me how is to live there, how there school etc. Is Ashford safe place? What things you can do there with families with young kids. Thank you .

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