Funding for Aylesham approved

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has today confirmed that it has approved a £6 million investment for the employment and training requirements of Aylesham in Kent.

In recognition of the needs of the former coalfield community, Aylesham has been identified as a recipient of regeneration funding and will now receive investment enabling the creation of 356 jobs, through development of a mix of office use and other employment/training spaces tailored to suit emerging local needs. This investment will help to meet the employment and training needs of the existing community as well as the wider requirements of Aylesham, which is proposed to double in size over the next 15 years.

Prior to the formation of SEEDA, HCA (formerly English Partnerships) worked in partnership with the Aylesham & District Community Workshop Trust to deliver on the former secondary school site ten workshop units and renovate building, enabling the creation of 35 jobs. The Trust also worked in partnership with SEEDA to build the Miners Way business park.

The new focus of HCA investment for the village is expansion of the Miners Way business park and the refurbishment of the Greyhound pub. New workshop, office and training space and serviced land for employment space in the future will be created on the business park. The refurbishment of the Greyhound pub in the village, will provide office, training and community space within the existing community. The new proposals will maintain the original development goal of creating new and sustainable employment opportunities in the town.

David Edwards, South East Regional Director for the HCA said: 'We are delighted to be able to confirm this further funding for Aylesham. It demonstrates our commitment to the town, and to those who worked at the nearby Snowdown. We remain fully committed to Aylesham and have put in significant time and effort to develop plans to help Aylesham's growth.

'Worthwhile projects such as this require a lot of thought, effort and commitment and we will be working with our partners and the community to take this project forward to deliver real and lasting benefits to the local community.'

Source: Homes and Community Agency