A bid for a 89-bed boarding house for students at a private school in Canterbury has been rejected by planning officers.

The £8,150-a-term CATs College Canterbury wants to build a four-storey accommodation block, offering them communal dining and en-suite facilities.

But the proposal has been refused as the city council says the applicant has failed to demonstrate how the development in Abbots Barton Walk would have an acceptable impact on highways and pedestrian flow.

Listing their reasons, officers stated: "Without further details regarding access, parking arrangements and pedestrian movement and without secured mitigation to address those impacts, the proposed development would lead to unacceptable highways safety and amenity impacts.

"The proposed development would result in a redevelopment of a residential site and, on the balance of the all planning material considerations, it fails to balance the need for student housing and family dwelling houses.

"The applicant has failed to secure the delivery of the necessary financial contributions towards open space to mitigate the impact of the proposed development."

The bid involved demolishing White Lodge, a large detached house, which sits behind Abbots Barton Hotel in New Dover Road.

Designs revealed by Clague Architects showed a new purpose-built block with amenity space, located a short walk from the CATs College.

The firm said the accommodation in Abbots Barton Walk was tailored to meet the needs of 16- to 18-year-olds.

The college already has accommodation on site at 56-60 New Dover Road, lease arrangements for students at other properties along the road and four small houses in Cowdrey Place.

Properties in Ethelbert Road were previously used but this stopped last year and the college has now deemed the homes in Cowdrey Place unsuitable.

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