Chilmington Lakes: Homes, Apartments and Property Guide

Last updated: 13 July 2026

Chilmington Lakes is a modern residential development within the wider Chilmington Green garden community near Ashford, Kent. The development includes houses, townhouses, apartments and penthouses arranged around landscaped streets and open spaces. The lake and surrounding landscape form an important part of its identity and have helped Chilmington Lakes become one of the better-known development names within Chilmington Green.

Most of the original houses have been sold or reserved. Apartments have continued to be marketed for sale and rent, although availability can change quickly. Chilmington Lakes is a housebuilder's development name rather than one of the five formal Chilmington Green masterplan character areas. It forms part of the wider first-stage development alongside Chilmington Gate and other early housing parcels.

Chilmington Lakes at a glance

• Developer: Hodson Developments
• Current status: Houses reported as reserved; apartments have remained available
• Property types: Apartments, penthouses, terraces, townhouses, semi-detached and detached homes
• Bedroom range: Mainly two-bedroom apartments and two to five-bedroom houses
• Location: Chilmington Green, near Ashford and Great Chart, Kent
• Current market: Mixture of remaining developer apartments, rental properties and resales

What is Chilmington Lakes?

Chilmington Lakes is one of the most recognisable residential developments within Chilmington Green. It was designed as a mixed housing neighbourhood with homes positioned close to landscaped areas, water features and tree-lined streets. Its property mix is broader than the mainly detached housing found in The Hamlet, with apartments and townhouses sitting alongside larger family homes.

Development collections and names used within Chilmington Lakes have included Parkview Central, Parkview West, The Avenue Collection and the Kensington Collection. These are individual apartment collections or sales phases rather than separate Chilmington villages. The development sits within the much larger Chilmington Green masterplan, which allows for up to 5,750 homes.

Who developed Chilmington Lakes?

Chilmington Lakes was developed by Hodson Developments. Hodson's development website says all houses at Chilmington Lakes have been reserved, while two-bedroom apartments and penthouses have continued to be advertised for sale or rent. Availability shown on a developer website can change and may not always reflect the legal or financial position of individual units. Prospective purchasers should confirm availability, reservation arrangements, warranties and completion arrangements directly with the appointed sales or administrative representatives.

Hodson administration

Hodson Developments (Ashford) Limited and five associated Chilmington companies entered administration in March 2026. Ashford Borough Council announced the position on 1 July 2026 and said it was seeking legal advice about the implications for the wider Chilmington development and its infrastructure obligations.

Existing homeowners continue to own and occupy their properties. However, buyers considering an uncompleted or unsold apartment should carry out additional legal checks covering the identity of the seller, the party authorised to accept a reservation, new-home warranties, building completion and sign-off, service charges, management arrangements, communal-area maintenance, parking rights, road and landscape adoption, and any outstanding construction work. Independent legal advice is particularly important where a developer or associated company is in administration. See our administration explainer.

How many homes are in Chilmington Lakes?

An exact total for the development marketed as Chilmington Lakes has not been confirmed reliably in publicly accessible records. Council planning documents record homes by numbered or lettered development parcels. One council viability table records 153 Hodson homes across Parcels A, E and F as an ongoing development and another 67 completed homes on Parcel C. These figures provide context for Hodson's wider construction programme but should not be presented as the exact total for Chilmington Lakes.

What types of homes are at Chilmington Lakes?

Chilmington Lakes contains one of the widest property selections within the current Chilmington Green community. The development has included:

• Two-bedroom apartments
• Two-bedroom penthouses
• Two-bedroom houses
• Three-bedroom townhouses
• Three-bedroom family houses
• Four-bedroom houses
• Larger four and five-bedroom townhouses and detached homes

Apartments have been a particularly visible part of the development. The developer has marketed two-bedroom apartments and penthouses through named collections, including Parkview Central and Parkview West. Some apartment buildings include allocated parking and shared landscaped areas. Buyers should check the exact tenure, service charge and lease terms for each property.

Houses within Chilmington Lakes include both compact townhouse designs and larger family properties. Three-storey layouts are common in some sections, providing more internal floor space without requiring an unusually wide plot.

Are homes still being built at Chilmington Lakes?

The developer's website says all houses have been reserved, which indicates that the main housebuilding sales programme is at or near its end. Apartments and penthouses have continued to be advertised. A development can be sold or reserved before every surrounding landscape, road, communal area or administrative obligation has been completed. The Chilmington Community Management Organisation has previously reported that work was needed before certain Gate and Lakes landscaped spaces could be formally handed over for long-term management.

Chilmington Lakes property prices

Chilmington Lakes includes everything from apartments to large five-bedroom homes, so a single average price would give a misleading picture. Current and recent asking prices have included:

• New two-bedroom apartments from approximately £310,000
• Apartment rents from approximately £1,400 per calendar month
• A three-bedroom Marlowe townhouse advertised at £465,000 before being marked reserved
• A resale two-bedroom apartment on Highwood Drive at approximately £260,000
• A four-bedroom detached resale at approximately £535,000
• A five-bedroom resale at approximately £550,000

These are asking prices and advertised rents rather than confirmed completed sale values. Property values will depend on the size and type of home, parking, outlook, lease terms, service charges, condition and position within the development. Apartments may provide one of the lower-priced routes into Chilmington Green, but buyers should assess the full monthly cost — mortgage payments, service charges, ground rent where applicable, council tax and estate charges.

Buying an apartment at Chilmington Lakes

Anyone considering a flat or penthouse should ask for clear information about:

• Lease length. A longer remaining lease will usually be easier to mortgage and resell than a short lease.
• Service charges. Service charges may cover cleaning, communal electricity, building insurance, maintenance, landscaping, lifts and management fees. Ask for the present annual amount and any forecast increases.
• Estate charges. A property may contribute both to its apartment building and to wider Chilmington community management. These are different charges and should be identified separately.
• Parking. Confirm whether the parking space is owned, allocated, permitted or available on a first-come basis. Also check visitor parking and electric vehicle charging arrangements.
• Warranty and building certification. Confirm the warranty provider, building control approval, fire-safety documentation and practical completion status.
• Developer administration. Because Hodson-associated companies entered administration in 2026, a solicitor should establish which legal entity owns the apartment and is authorised to complete the sale.

Schools near Chilmington Lakes

Chilmington Green Primary School and Chilmington Green Secondary School are open within the growing community. The primary school moved into its permanent site in September 2021. The secondary school moved into its permanent building in September 2025. The long-term plan includes four primary schools in total. Families should verify current admissions information with Kent County Council and the schools themselves. See our Chilmington Green schools guide.

Local facilities and transport

Chilmington Lakes is positioned within a planned garden community rather than a completed town. The masterplan includes a district centre, shops and a supermarket, community facilities, healthcare space, schools, employment premises, sports facilities, parks and play areas, walking and cycling routes and bus connections. Only part of this infrastructure has been delivered.

Residents currently use shops, medical services, leisure facilities and transport connections in Ashford and surrounding areas. Ashford International railway station provides rail services to London and other destinations. Many current households remain dependent on a car for daily journeys.

Chilmington Lakes compared with other developments

Compared with Chilmington Gate, Lakes places greater emphasis on apartments, landscaped avenues and its waterside identity. Compared with The Hamlet, Lakes is generally denser and has a wider mixture of property sizes; The Hamlet contains more detached houses and larger plots. Compared with Chilmington Rise, Lakes is further through its original sales programme — Rise is still an active new-build development and will sit closer to the future district centre.

No development is universally better. The best choice depends on budget, preferred property type, garden requirements, service charges and proximity to future construction.

What is planned around Chilmington Lakes?

Chilmington Lakes should eventually become part of a more connected network of neighbourhoods. Future development will add homes, roads, paths, parks, shops and community facilities across Chilmington. Orchard Village and Chilmington Brook are expected to extend the community southwards and eastwards during later phases. The timing of future infrastructure is less certain following the administration of several Hodson-associated companies. Follow our latest Chilmington Green updates.