ASHFORD’S future as a prosperous and thriving town capable of attracting jobs and investment is being jeopardised by poor planning and inferior developments, a critical report has warned.

Countryside campaigners say there are signs Ashford is in danger of missing out in a once-in-a-lifetime chance to improve its fortunes as one of the Government’s key growth areas.

In a bleak assessment of how Ashford is faring under the Government’s Sustainable Communities Plan, which sets out plans for 31,000 homes and 28,000 jobs by 2031, the report by the Kent CPRE says development is outstripping the rate at which jobs are being created and too little money is coming through for roads, schools and other community facilities.

The report, Greater Ashford - A Vision In Peril? says Ashford is in danger of becoming yet another sprawling commuter town because of poorly-planned and sub-standard development on a massive scale.

"If this situation persists and if Ashford is allowed to expand without significant concurrent job growth and provision of the right kind of infrastructure at the right time, the same old planning mistakes of the past risk being repeated," it concludes.

The "grand promises" made about the standard of development are not being met as developers rush to build houses, it adds.

"It is evident development of a far inferior nature is proceeding apace in Ashford.

"This problem needs to be addressed immediately. It is simply not acceptable to speak of improvements in development standards occurring at some point in the future while major building it taking place now. Kent CPRE has seen little evidence the grand promises for Ashford over the comming decades have a realistic chance of becoming reality."

It is damning about the number of jobs being created, saying employment growth has "so far failed dismally to keep pace with the housing growth already achieved" and describes a target of bringing 16,700 more jobs by 2021 as "at best, a considerable challenge."

It criticises political leaders for not showing the will to "wholeheartedly promote Ashford as the key economic investment centre for the region."

Responding to the report, Ashford council leader Paul Clokie, who also chairs Ashford’s Future, the quango charged with overseeing the town’s development, said he agreed that there needed to be a balance between house-building and jobs.

"I am confident the developments in Ashford will have a positive impact on our economic prosperity. They will enhance Ashford’s reputation as a commercial business centre alongside the redevelopment and significant investment in the town centre."

"Ashford continues to attract investment and create jobs, for example the introduction of the Hitachi maintenance depot will bring around 100 jobs, while the reopening of the Stour Centre and completion of office space at Eureka Park have created many new jobs. Between October 2006 and September 2007 Locate in Kent assisted in creating 341 new jobs and retaining 103 in Ashford."