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Primary school and nursery in Thanington near Canterbury given go-head by Kent County Council

Work on a new £10m primary school in Kent is expected to start in the summer after being granted planning permission.

Thanington Primary School, just under two miles from Canterbury city centre, will eventually have capacity for 420 places for pupils aged four to 11 as well as a 26-place nursery.

How Thanington Primary School is expected to look once building is complete. Picture: DHA Planning/Kent County Council
How Thanington Primary School is expected to look once building is complete. Picture: DHA Planning/Kent County Council

It will start with a one-form entry for 30 reception students and grow year by year.

The school is to be built to serve the new 750 home Saxon Fields development as well as the 400 unit Cockering Farm estate, which was given the go ahead seven years ago.

Stuart Bonnage, partner with Canterbury architects Clague, said: “We’re working on the technical design at the moment but I’d say building work will start in the summer this year.

“The funding is coming through developer contributions (section 106 money) and we think it will be a build of up to 18 months in two phases.”

A public consultation exercise was carried out in late 2022.

The new primary will have a playing field and a multi-use games area . Picture: DHA Planning/Kent County Council
The new primary will have a playing field and a multi-use games area . Picture: DHA Planning/Kent County Council

It was originally hoped to have the school open this September but this is likely to be pushed back until next year.

The school will be served by a new access off Fairbrass Way and will have a playing field, a multi-use games area, a car park and a drop off zone.

Kent County Council gave the go ahead last month and Turner Schools Trust has been named as the sponsor.

A KCC statement granting permission states: “The county council is of the opinion that the proposed development gives rise to no material harm, is in accordance with the development plan and that there are no material considerations that indicate that the decision should be made otherwise.”

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

KCC planning documents said: "The only school in the vicinity that is capable of being expanded is Pilgrims Way Primary School. However, this school is undergoing a complete rebuild and expanding to accommodate the pupil product from the Howe Barracks development.

"As it was not possible to expand other local primary schools, it has been established that a new 2FE (two-form entry) primary school is required in Thanington. The location of a school in this area will benefit local traffic conditions, as the need to travel across Canterbury to other schools is negated."

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