Ashford is about thirty miles south-east of Wrotham along the M20, the last major town before the Channel Tunnel terminal at Folkestone. Its growth follows its transport links: Ashford International on High Speed 1, junctions 9 and 10 of the M20, and the Sevington inland border facility opened in 2021 to process freight for the Channel crossings.
The town has been designated for growth for two decades. Chilmington Green is a new community of several thousand homes to the south-west; the Commercial Quarter is bringing offices to the station; and the business parks at Orbital Park, Eureka Park and Waterbrook hold distribution, manufacturing and the truck stop that serves the M20. The William Harvey Hospital and Ashford College are the largest public estates.
The HSE enforces at the border facility, construction sites and manufacturing; Ashford Borough Council covers the town’s offices, retail, warehousing and the hospitality trade that comes with the Designer Outlet. Kent Fire and Rescue Service covers the borough.