Plans to develop a former police training centre as a multi-million pound educational activity centre have been given the go-ahead.
Ashford Borough Council has approved the proposals by Kingswood Educational Activity Centres for the Grosvenor Hall site, which the company says will create 150 jobs.
The site was a regional police training centre for 30 years until its closure in 2006.
Part of the Education Travel Group, Kingswood says it plans to create the top educational activity centre in Europe on the 50-acre Grosvenor Hall site in Kennington.
The new venture will create up to 150 new jobs many for instructor/delivery staff in the 18-14 year age group, says the company
Kingswood says the site will re-open in March 2010 as a “high specification educational centre of excellence, with some of the best outdoor education facilities in the UK”, following a major revamp.
The company says the site will welcome children and teachers from across the South East and internationally.
Kingswood says the centre will offer specially tailored educational courses that are difficult to cover in a classroom environment, combining educational modules with activities.
The new centre will feature 375 beds for residential stays, 18 classrooms for ICT and language learning, a media centre and 30,000 sq ft of sports facilities.
Among new facilities being added will be a water sports lake with kayaking and raft building activities, a 22,000 sq ft sports hall, an indoor aquatics centre for swimming and scuba diving, and a high adrenaline ropes park for team building activities.
Dean Saunders, centre director of Kingswood Grosvenor Hall, said: “We shall be taking great care to ensure the new facilities are affordable for local schools."

Judith Armitt, managing director of Ashford’s Future said: “This proposed development is excellent news for Ashford. It promises to provide first class educational activity facilities and represents a major investment in the town.
“The project also involves the creation of a significant number of new jobs and that is to be warmly welcomed.”