The news that ambitious plans for a TV and movie studio complex in the county are set to be shelved was, without question, a disappointment. But it was also crushingly inevitable.
Because we in this fine county of ours are rather getting used to it. Remember the rollercoaster ride of the London Resort?
Big dreams, big hype, huge delays and eventually it came off the rails just as the ever-growing chorus of naysayers had predicted.
We are sold on the dream; of a Europe-leading piece of exciting industry creating jobs, funnelling investment into Kent and collectively buy into it. Convincing the public and carrying their enthusiasm into the planning process is all part of the game these developers now play.
While London Resort’s disintegration proved a blessing to some – primarily those working on the Swanscombe Peninsula – the same cannot be said of Ashford and its ambitions to become a creative hub.
The town is no stranger to big promises back-firing, even once they’re gone live. Eurostar’s disgraceful refusal to restart services from its international station being the most obvious.
Ironic, then, that its latest setback is once again focused around the rail industry, the nucleus of which the modern-day town grew up around.
Much had been made of the transformation of its former railway works in Newtown into an exciting studio complex featuring the likes of Netflix, Amazon and HBO.
It certainly sounded like a fantastic idea. How better, after all, to repurpose a town’s former industrial hub into a modern-day dream factory? Think of the jobs, think of the opportunities, think of the stars who might pop into the town centre.
But after originally being unveiled in 2018 and promising 3,000 jobs, rooftop restaurant, a nice big hotel and seven state-of-the-art studios, it faced a host of issues.
Not least of which was Covid. An understandable reason for its originally stated 2022 opening date to be delayed. It was kicked along to 2023.
Such was its allure, Ashford Borough Council even got in on the action – acquiring a 65% stake from developers Quinn in the site through its joint venture Ashford International Development Company. Pound signs, no doubt, flashing before its eyes. You can hardly blame them.
The town started getting excited. A website launched heralding the exciting arrival of a thrilling hub for the creative industries called Ashford International Studios. It might be worth clicking on the link sooner rather than later.
By 2022, the opening date was pushed back to, well, now – July 2025. You can see how this is all going. For those who followed the London Resort story, this will all sound rather familiar.
By September 2024, rather than Ashford planning to erect a Hollywood-style sign on the Wye Downs, it was facing up to the fact it might never happen. Like a good twist in any Netflix show, all those dreams suddenly looked unlikely to emerge into the harsh light of day.
Studios visited – although whether Netflix was ever among them we may never know – and none came up with a viable scheme.
In recent months, the whispers the whole thing would be scrapped were stretching far and wide.
That July 2025 opening date? Well, it would actually turn out to be the date the whole scheme crumbled.
And, guess what, instead of the TV and movie studios it looks set to become more housing instead. Who’d thunk it, eh?
Gone are the studio plans, the restaurant and the hotel. All the key ingredients which were set to cook up a very tasty menu for Ashford’s future. For a town which has already seen such extensive housing development over recent years, it’s like serving up gruel when you were expecting a rare feast.
The old railway works site had sat unused for 30 years. Something did need to be done to bring it back into use. Housing was always going to be part of it. But at the expense of all the exciting elements?
Economic realities cannot be ignored – but like the London Resort before it, we, the public, were sold on a project – over the course of many years – which offered so much, such a point of difference for the town, portrayed in sun-drenched artist’s impressions and CGIs, and have ended up taking home more of what they’ve become used to.
Of course, developers and local authorities should think big and bold; but perhaps a cautiously optimistic approach would avoid the bitter disappointment. Again.
