We, the undersigned, call on Piperton Finance and the Co-Operative Society Ltd to work together to regenerate New Ash Green village centre in a timely manner, sensitive to shop/flat owners and tenants and the needs of villagers. 

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New Ash Green Village Centre was once a vibrant shopping area that residents relied on for all their daily needs. The plethora of shops provided everything they needed, limiting the need to travel outside the village and even acting as a social hub for the community. 

Sadly, for some 20 years, the centre has been neglected and left to rot, resulting in health and safety concerns and an unsightly and unwelcoming ghost town. Small businesses come and go and do their best to add value to the delapidated shell of a shopping centre they occupy but they struggle to mask the evidence of decades of neglect.

An Environment and Visual Audit was conducted by Seveoaks Council in March 2021 and found 105 causes for concern. The Council will follow these up with the landowner and other relevant parties but have little power to enforce improvements that aren't of a health and safety risk. 

The Town Team and Sevenoaks Council have worked tirelessly for years to encourage the landowner to redevelop the area and, on three occasions, excellent progress was made, resulting in plans being drawn up for a complete makeover. Unfortunately, each one failed to prove financially viable.

A former resident ran an exciting and promising campaign, engaging the community and calling on Sevenoaks Council to take more action to find a solution to this ongoing saga. Unfortunately, due the the land being privately owner, the Council has limited options to intervene. 

The well loved and respected maintenance person works night and day to keep the centre safe, clean and tidy. But the demands of the crumbling centre are more than one person could possibly keep in line 100% of the time.

While Piperton Finance have relayed plans for long term development of the area, history indicates that these plans could well fall through and, without proper consultation with stakeholders, they are unlikely to prove satisfactory to all.

With so many options exhausted and despairing flat/shop owners, tenants and villagers, we clearly need to try another approach. 

We are appealing directly to the landowners, Piperton Finance and the Co-Operative Society Ltd to work together with the Town Team, Sevenoaks Council, tenants, residents and villagers to find a mutually beneficial way forward to transform the village centre into the lively and prosperous village hub that this community deserves and that we are certain it could be. 

Please follow developments within the village centre at:
www.facebook.com/nagcentreregen