A car dealership which has been in a town for 24 years is to close - and could be replaced by 64 flats.

Lipscomb Cars opened its prominent showroom opposite the tank roundabout in Chart Road, Ashford, in 1995.

But bosses have now decided to prioritise their Chartham and Aylesford branches as they say car brands demand more up-to-date, extensive facilities.

In its place, Lipscomb is looking to convert the Ashford site into a housing scheme, made up of 64 "entirely affordable" flats.

The dealership - which previously sold Volvos - was refranchised to Fiat in 2008, but continued to offer services and parts for the Swedish brand.

It is not yet known when the Fiat showroom which fronts Chart Road will shut, but the Volvo parts facility at the back of the site closed last month.

In a planning statement attached to the proposal, submitted on November 19, agent MDA said: "The requirements of mainstream car manufacturers have become ever more demanding in terms of their brand image and the need to have the most up-to-date sales and servicing facilities on a larger scale than used to be the case.

"For this reason, Lipscomb has needed to upgrade all three of its premises in order to maintain its franchises.

"The decision was taken to expand its Chartham operation through the purchase of the site next door and close Ashford because the Chartham site had room for the expansion of the business – the Ashford site is just too small.

"The new showroom is currently being built and the intention is that the 15 Ashford employees will be transferred to that site and Lipscomb have started the consultation process."

A number of uses were debated for the Chart Road site, including a hotel, food store, care home and a restaurant with a drive thru.

Small industrial units were also considered but there is already a new development on the Cobbs Wood Industrial Estate in nearby Carlton Road where many of the new units are yet to be let.

Bosses say the housing option was seen as an answer to the growing need for new homes "particularly in the affordable sector".

They said: "The site can therefore come forward as a “windfall opportunity” for residential development in a very sustainable location with the added benefit that all of the units will be for affordable housing."

If approved, the existing buildings on the site will be demolished and three detached apartment blocks will be built in their place.

They will include 30 one-bed flats and 34 two-bed, with 67 car parking spaces and storage space for 114 bicycles.

Bosses say the existing site access from Chart Road will be closed for vehicles and will only provide a pedestrian and cycle access route.

The only vehicle access will be from the existing access on Carlton Road, which is suitable to take all vehicles, including refuse trucks.

It is likely that the mix of units will be 14 in shared ownership and 50 as social rented accommodation.

The scheme will be owned and managed by an experienced registered landlord with a "hands-on approach".

Clague Architects, which has designed the scheme, is using the sunken geography to push for a five-storey block - the initial six-storey plan having been reduced.

It is noted that ward councillors praised the closure of the Chart Road access, which would have caused further traffic on one of the town's busiest roads.

Speaking about the impending closure, Lipscomb Cars managing director Peter Barnes said it was was a "very difficult decision".

"We've been in Ashford for so long, and it's simply up to the demands being placed on dealerships nationally," he said.

"Ashford's a very important area for us and we'll continue to serve residents at our Chartham facility."

Costing £5.5 million, the Chartham site will open in early 2020 next to the current Lipscomb dealership on the A28, opposite the garden centre.

Comments on the Chart Road application - which can be found on Ashford Borough Council's planning portal under the 19/01617/AS reference - can be made until Saturday.

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