A developer says its plans for a multimillion-pound regeneration scheme complete with a new supermarket, hotel, flats and a brewery will be a huge shot in the arm for the town.

The proposals for the brownfield site at the entrance to Victoria Road will see the arrival of an 18,500 sq ft Aldi store, along with a 125-room hotel.

Aldi would create 93 car parking spaces for customers, and the store would be open from 6am to 11pm on Mondays to Saturdays, with reduced hours on Sundays.

There would also be a seven-storey block of flats offering up to 200 rental apartments for commuter tenants, of which 48 will be studio apartments, alongside 52 one-bedroom and 100 two-bedroom apartments.

The majority of the flats would be built in one winding U-shaped block, while a smaller five-
storey block would include 16 apartments on top of three spaces for shops or offices.

Meanwhile Chapel Down will be setting up a new home for its brewery and visitor centre, which will boast a restaurant and bar overlooking the beer-making process.

The £1.25 million centre will incorporate tours, and is expected to become a major tourist attraction for the town.

The consortium fronted by Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners has been discussing the proposals with Ashford Borough Council since December, and believes the development will have a massive economic boost for the town.

The company believes it will create 160 permanent full-time jobs in the hotel, shops, Aldi and brewery, more than 50 jobs in the supply chain for these businesses and a further 40 jobs elsewhere in the town.

It will also create 245 temporary jobs in the construction industry during the duration of the
two-and-a-half-year estimated building time.

The developers would fill the council coffers with £1.9 million worth of Section 106 contributions, while the council will gain an extra £316,800 and an extra £365,600 from council tax and business rates respectively.

Overall, the scheme is set to cost £55 million, but it is estimated it would add £50 million of economic growth to Ashford during the next 10 years. It would also generate £3.8 million of additional revenue being spent by residents in the town each year.

People can comment on the proposals by visiting the planning section.

Planning officers are expected to make a determination on the scheme by Monday, October 31.