Plans to move a private school out of its historic location to make way for more than 1,000 homes have been scrapped due to spiralling costs.

Ashford School previously announced it was considering selling land in East Hill near the town centre and constructing a new state-of-the-art campus three miles away.

But now, after nine months and consultations with the council, Hannah Strassburg, alumni and development manager, has written to families to say they have “decided not to pursue this option further” as it is too costly.

The now-dropped scheme was announced when all the school’s buildings - some of which are listed - were put forward in a planning process led by Ashford Borough Council (ABC) to identify suitable building plots.

Planning agent Hobbs Parker submitted the site on behalf of the United Church Schools Trust, which runs the establishment, saying the land could accommodate between 1,000 and 1,200 homes.

The plan was for Ashford School to then build a new secondary block on farmland it owns next to its prep site, in Great Chart, but this project is no longer going ahead.

Ms Strassburg told families in her correspondence that a shortfall of about £30 million had been identified in the scheme.

The letter said: “I wanted to share an update on a matter that I know is close to the hearts of many in our community.

“As you may be aware, Ashford senior school has been considering the potential relocation from the East Hill site to the prep school site in Great Chart.

“After careful consideration and consultation with the council and other experts, it has been decided not to pursue this option further.

“While the move was initially considered to be financially viable, further analysis has revealed a significant shortfall of approximately £30 million.

“The school is still committed to improving both sites, however, to ensure they remain top-notch and relevant for years to come.

“I look forward to sharing more details about these plans soon, so watch this space.”

More than 500 pupils attend the independent secondary, which costs £6,786 per term for children in Years 7 to 11 to attend.

Ashford Prep School, meanwhile, is set within 40 acres in Great Chart and has more than 350 primary-aged students.

Last autumn, ABC invited people to put forward sites they own, or to suggest land that may potentially be available, for inclusion in the new local plan.

More than 300 plots were submitted in the “call for sites” and planning officers will now start assessing each one, to look at their “suitability, availability and achievability” before any decisions are made.

Once all sites have been assessed, the authority’s preferred options will be published for public consultation.

KentOnline has contacted Ashford School for comment.