House extensions in Ashford
Ashford has grown in waves, and each wave extends differently. The 1960s overspill estates of South Ashford and Kennington, the Victorian and Edwardian streets near the centre, and the newer developments at Park Farm, Repton and Finberry all take a different design and a different planning route. We are carpenters, joiners and builders working from a workshop in Biddenden, and we design, price and build rear, side and wrap around extensions across the town.
The first step is a free site visit, after which you get a written quote setting out exactly what is included.
Extending Ashford's post-war housing
The 1959 London overspill scheme brought around 5,000 homes to Ashford and created much of South Ashford and Kennington. Those 1960s houses tend to sit on sensible plots with room to the rear, which makes a single storey rear extension the straightforward route to a bigger kitchen or a proper family room.
Around the town centre, census figures show a third of homes are semi-detached and 28% are terraced. A semi usually has the width for a full-width rear extension; a terrace often gains more from filling the side return and widening a narrow galley kitchen. Either way, the design starts from the house in front of us, not a standard plan.
Newer estates and planning conditions
Park Farm was built in the late 1990s, Repton on the former Templer Barracks in the 2000s, and Finberry from 2013. Newer estates like these frequently carry planning conditions that remove permitted development rights, so even a modest extension can need a full application to Ashford Borough Council. Checking the estate's original permission is one of the first things we do.
The older parts of town bring their own controls. The Town Centre, Queens Road, Willesborough Lees, Kennington & Ball Lane and Great Chart are all conservation areas, and Article 4 directions, including one covering Queen Street, restrict permitted development further. None of this stops an extension; it means the design has to respect its setting.
Ground and flood considerations
The land around the Great Stour south of the station is flood-prone, and some recent development there stands on foundations raised on concrete stilts. The Ashford Green Corridor follows the Great and East Stour through the town, and there is extensive Flood Zone 2 along both rivers.
If your plot lies near the rivers or the Green Corridor, flood risk becomes part of the design and planning conversation, affecting floor levels and foundation design. Whatever the plot, foundations are designed for the ground actually found, and building control inspects the excavation before concrete is poured.
How we build it
The work is carried out by our own carpenters and joiners, with specialist trades we work with regularly for electrics, plumbing, plastering and glazing. One team runs the programme from groundworks to decoration, and the written quote lists what is included so there are no gaps between trades.
For the full service detail see our house extensions page, read more about building work in Ashford, or check the guide to single storey extension costs. To arrange a free site visit, get in touch.
House extensions in Ashford: questions
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Ashford?
It depends on the house. Many single storey rear extensions are permitted development, but newer estates often have those rights removed by condition, and conservation areas and Article 4 directions restrict them further. We check the position at the site visit.
Does flood risk affect extensions in Ashford?
If your plot is near the Great Stour, the East Stour or the Green Corridor, flood risk is part of the planning conversation and can affect floor levels and foundation design. We check the flood maps at the survey stage.
How long does a rear extension take to build?
A single storey rear extension typically takes twelve to sixteen weeks on site, depending on size and the structural work involved. You get a written programme with the quote.
Which parts of Ashford do you cover?
All of TN23, TN24 and TN25: the town centre, Kennington, Willesborough, Kingsnorth, Great Chart, Singleton, Stanhope, Park Farm, Repton and Finberry, plus the surrounding villages.
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Planning an extension in Ashford?
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