A plan for an ambitious and lucrative film studio is set to be discussed by a council tonight.

Disney, Netflix and HBO have previously been hinted as possible users of the site which developers hope to build at the Newtown rail works in Ashford.

The £250 million plan - being called the Ashford International Studios - is being discussed at 7pm tonight via a virtual council meeting, which will be viewable via the Ashford Borough Council website.

If approved, the currently disused site will feature over 7,440 sq metres of studios and production space.

Also constructed would be 302 apartments, retail space, a multi-storey car park and an 18-storey hotel - a structure that would become the borough's tallest.

Developer Quinn Estates is working with the Creative District Improvement Company on the scheme, which could bring 2,035 full-time and 915 indirect jobs.

The plan is estimated to attract £104 million in Growth Value Added per year, and will boost the Ashford economy directly by £8.9 million per annum.

Educational institutes such as the University of Kent are earmarked for close association, with a potential site on the Works from which they can learn the film- and tv-making process.

Tonight's meeting is the council's second attempt to hold the planning committee meeting after one scheduled for March was postponed due to the renewed lockdown guidance.

Many in the town are welcoming the proposal, and ABC's cultural services team haven't opposed the plan - on the caveat that the developers agree to pay a contribution of £74,765.25 to the borough's arts provision.

The council team also stated: "As a landmark scheme, we expect part of the scheme to be working with an internationally renowned artist, and to be integrated in part of the works design.

"We would like to see a statement piece on site. As part of the delivery of the scheme we would like to see an artist as part of the design team, and resident on site."

ABC's economic development report also notes that Ashford would be "in a good position to attract and develop high levels of skilled jobs as a consequence of having such studio space.

"This development could be a catalyst for boosting skill levels in the borough both by attracting talent from nearby areas and supporting creative industry-related education and training aimed at local residents.

"The scheme would bring a high productivity industry into the heart of Ashford, placing the town on the national film and TV sector map."

There have, however, been concerns raised by nearby residents.

The South Willesborough and Newtown Community Council identified the new hotel as likely to damage the TV and radio signals of those nearby, as well as blocking natural sunlights and reducing residents' privacy.

Furthermore, one of the key pedestrian routes to access the ASDA supermarket is often severely flooded - an issue they hope could be fixed using some of the studios' contributions.

A KCC Heritage report suggests the application's heritage statement is "rather dismissive of railway heritage on this site" and asks that more care is taken to identify historical artefacts of the rail works' previous use.

It also states these artefacts - including turntables and features - should be preserved "in situ if possible".

Despite these concerns, the council officer recommended the application to be approved with 31 conditions attached.

For more information, search 19/01476/AS on the council's Planning Portal.

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