Borough of Ashford
Shown within Kent
Geography
Status:	Borough
Region:	South East England
Admin. County:	Kent
Area: - Total	Ranked 82nd 580.62 km²
Admin. HQ:	Ashford
ONS code:	29UB
Demographics
Population: - Total (2002 est.) - Density	Ranked 206th 104,756 180 / km²
Ethnicity:	97.6% White
Politics
Ashford Borough Council http://www.ashford.gov.uk
Leadership:	Leader & Cabinet
Executive:	Conservative
MP:	Damian Green

Ashford is a local government district and borough in Kent, England. Its council is based in the town of Ashford.

The borough was formed on April 1, 1974 by the merger of Ashford and Tenterden Urban Districts with the Rural Districts of East Ashford, West Ashford and Tenterden. There are two towns in the Borough: Ashford and Tenterden. For administrative purposes, Ashford is divided into 18 wards; the remainder of the Borough includes the following 35 villages:

• Aldington
• Appledore
• Bethersden
• Biddenden
• Bilsington
• Bonnington
• Boughton Aluph
• Braborne
• Brook
• Challock
• Charing
• Chilham
• Crundale
• Egerton
• Godmersham
• Hamstreet
• Hastingleigh
• High Halden
• Hothfield
• Kenardington
• Kingsnorth
• Little Chart
• Molash
• Newenden
• Pluckley
• Rolvenden
• Ruckinge
• Shadoxhurst
• Smarden
• Smeeth
• Stone-in-Oxney
• Westwell
• Wittersham
• Woodchurch
• Wye

The area, once mainly rural, is now fast becoming an industrial and commercial centre, particularly where the town of Ashford is concerned. The corridor caused by the motorwayM20 and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and its International Station have led to much hitherto agricultural land being turned to other uses.