New 420-place primary school approved for Kent area where 1,100 homes are being built

A new school for Kent has been given planning approval. Kent County Council has approved a two-form entry primary school along with a 26-place nursery.

The school, 1.8 miles from Canterbury's city centre, will also have a playing field, a multi-use games area, and a car park with a drop-off area. Thanington Primary School will be built at the new Saxon Fields housing development at Cockering Road in Thanington.

A consultation into the new school was held in November to mid-December in 2022. The school will eventually provide 420 places for pupils aged four to 11. The school will initially open as a one-form entry with 30 pupils in reception year, growing year on year.

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The date for opening was originally given as this September, but the council now says Turner Schools Trust was appointed as the sponsor for the new school, and it will open September 2026 to 2027.

Planning papers shows phase two, built to open at a later date, will create a second reception class, tying in with completion and people moving into the housing estate.

There will be a new access off Fairbrass Way. Planning documents state it is "envisaged most pupils will either walk, scooter or cycle to the new school in Thanington".

The outline planning application for the housing estate off Cockering Road, approved in 2016, is for up to 750 homes. The application also gave permission for the Pilgrims Hospice with 30 beds, and a 60 bed nursing home.

1,100 new homes in the area

Planning documents state the need for a new primary school in this location was because of new house building in Thanington, which will see 1,100 new homes between two planning applications.

They say: "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 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."

Where can I see the application?

You can look at every single document, from the design and access statement, to the flood risk strategy, the noise survey and the travel plan.

You can see them by clicking on this link to Kent County Council's planning portal. If, however, the link has timed out, go to Kent County Council planning portal, and put in this reference KCC/CA/0012/2024, or, this postcode CT1 3UR