A secondary school on a huge ‘garden town’ development is edging closer to opening in September with work now underway on its interior.
Construction of Chilmington Green Secondary School in Ashford started last February almost two years after plans were first approved.
One year on and the facility, just off A28 Ashford Road, is on track to open at the start of the new school year.
It is part of the Chilmington Green masterplan which includes 5,750 homes, four primary schools and shops alongside healthcare and sports facilities.
Set to cater for 1,140 pupils, the secondary school’s exterior is now on the verge of completion with work underway inside.
United Learning Academy Trust, which will run the site, says it will feature 32 classrooms.
“The school’s external structure is now in place,” a spokeswoman said.
“Work is taking place on the inside of the building and it’s exciting to see our classrooms and school spaces begin to take shape.
“Our students will have access to new state-of-the-art facilities to support their learning, including specialist spaces like labs, a drama studio, DT and art rooms and PE facilities.
“The school will also be offering facilities for community use outside of school hours – these include sports facilities, the school hall and classroom spaces.
“There will be 32 general classrooms, including IT rooms, but not including specialist spaces.
“There will also be a range of other fantastic facilities, including a drama studio, DT, art and music rooms, a school hall and library.
“So we are excited to be moving into our new building in September.”
Despite the site still being worked on, Chilmington Green Secondary School opened in September 2023 with a full Year 7 cohort and was over-subscribed again for its 2024 intake.
A total of 270 pupils are currently being taught at a temporary location at the former Chilmington Green Primary School site in Jemmett Road, South Ashford.
The school will eventually grow by a year group each year, including 180 new Year 7 pupils this autumn, with pupils aged 11 to 18 on its books.
When the plans were first announced, concerns were raised over the school’s access as it is being built in Chilmington Green Road, which has become notorious for rush-hour traffic and uneven surfaces.
In a bid to make it safer, access to Chilmington Green Road from the A28 is set to be permanently closed to traffic to encourage drivers to access the school from a new route.
A new road called The Avenue will connect to a roundabout where the A28 meets Sandy Lane.
Hodson Developments Ltd, the lead company behind the ‘garden town’, is required to pay for vital upgrades to nearby Chart Road between the Matalan and ‘Tank’ roundabouts.
However, it was revealed last month the developer is bidding to pull out of contributing more than £50 million worth of new infrastructure and community facilities – including the £30m major road improvement.
Although the housebuilder signed the legally binding contract – known as a Section 106 agreement – the plans have now thrown the dualling project into doubt.
Kent County Council insists the scheme is an “integral part” of the Chilmington Green development, but says if Hodson’s proposal to remove funding is approved then the project will be scrapped.
Next month, an inspector from the Planning Inspectorate will assess whether Hodson can back out of its promised funding.
That inquiry is scheduled to start on Wednesday, February 19.
Outline planning permission for the 5,750-home project was granted early in 2017 and hundreds of homes have already been built.
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In recent weeks, Hodson has since submitted its latest round of applications to Ashford Borough Council in the form of 168 new properties.
Split between three reserved matters applications of 104, 55 and 13 homes, all would be built in close proximity to the school on what is currently grassland.
A decision on this latest phase is expected by April 8.
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