Council planners are set to give the green light to a new Aldi supermarket, hotel, brewery visitor centre and flats as part of a multi-million pound regeneration scheme.

In August HDD Ashford submitted two applications to transform brownfield land in Victoria Road into one of the town’s most important developments.

Now council planning officer Roland Mills has made his recommendation ahead of schedule, stating that the plans should be approved when they are put before Ashford Borough Council’s planning committee next Wednesday.

Chapel Down will be opening the £1.25 million Curious Brew Visitor Centre which will include brewery tours, a restaurant and bar, while Aldi will be opening an 18,500 sq ft store.

The developer’s plans also include a 125-bedroom hotel, a block of 200 apartments, and a separate block of 16 flats to be built above three shops.

The planning committee will vote when they meet in the council chamber in Tannery Lane next Wednesday at 7pm.

For a full report about the impact of the regeneration scheme, check out page 7 of this week's edition of the Kentish Express.