by Thom Morris
tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk

An old office block on Station Road, Ashford will be turned into a shop, offices and flats it has been agreed.
Kanthack House, the former Scott Wilson office, will become a mixture of business on the first floor with 14 two-bed apartments on the second, third and fourth floors.

Office space will also be available on the second floor.
The tired looking block close to the bowling alley will be given a striking make-over to make it look more “contemporary” with a white finish, coloured blocks by the windows and balconies for the flats.

Kanthack House is currently one of more than 380 empty commercial properties in Ashford.
Planning permission was agreed by councillors at a meeting on Wednesday. Councillors were concerned over parking spaces as there will only be 14 spaces, five of those dedicated to those renting the flats and the other nine for business purposes.

Godinton councillor Bernard Heyes called the plans a “disgrace” adding: “This is a good place to start for us to show we won’t accept plans without adequate parking”.
Despite this the committee agreed the plans should go through with a condition that motorbike parking spaces should be investigated.