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Disappointed councillors have slammed the look of a new primary school set to be built on the town’s largest-ever housing estate.
Kent County Council wants to construct the two-form entry school on the Chilmington Green estate in Ashford.
But members of Ashford Borough Council’s planning committee have criticised its appearance, with one saying the look of the site reminds them of a “detention centre”.
When built, the primary school will be one of four serving the 5,750-home development, but frustrated councillors say the structure is “overbearing”.
Bosses say 420 primary-aged pupils will be educated at the school - which will include an outdoor play area, a sports field and an ecology zone.
Twenty-six nursery children and 14 pupils with autistic spectrum disorder will also be taught at the site, which will be built not far from Chilmington Green Road.
Maidstone-based GDM Architects has drawn up the design plan on behalf of Kent County Council (KCC).
But Ashford Borough Council has asked the county council to review its design for new school following a discussion at a planning meeting earlier this month.
Ward member Cllr Jessamy Blanford (Con) shared concerns about the design of the school, urging KCC to “wake up and ask their inner child to come out to play”.
“Chilmington Green is gradually being built out and the primary school will be the first building in the square,” the Weald Central councillor said.
“I am stunned that KCC thinks nine cycle stands is enough for 420 pupils and that there are no signs of electric car points and solar panels on the roof of the school.
“The school should be welcoming and not surrounded by high gates.
“An unnecessary bleak layout has been designed, why not trees instead of a fence?
“The front of the building should be welcoming and fun, where has the imagination gone?
“Let’s ask KCC to wake up and ask their inner child to come out to play.
“I recommend the officer's advice to refuse, not because I am against the school but we want the building to be more fun for the children, we don’t want it just to be functional.”
The feeling was the same cross-party, as Labour’s Cllr Diccon Spain said: “I am too very disappointed with these plans.
“The building reminds me of a detention centre, it doesn’t excite and I don’t think it is a place children would be really enthused to go to.
“I think the priorities should be on pedestrian access and accessing by cycle or foot should be a priority. Accessing by car should be downplayed.
“We need to see something absolutely great, we should see something far better than this.”
No one from KCC arranged to speak at the meeting, but David Adams, who is the area’s education officer, was present to listen to the debate.
The council unanimously voted to object to the application, calling on KCC to consider more green features, including electric charging points, as well as making the school more attractive for children to attend.
ABC is only a consultee in the process, and the final decision lies with KCC, which will decide whether to give the primary school planning permission or not.
A spokesman for KCC said: “A range of views were expressed by Ashford councillors at their planning committee regarding the proposed school design of Chilmington Primary School.
“It is disappointing that their final decision was to object to the planning application, especially as some of them saw the designs at an informal member briefing and were, in our view, positive about these.
“Extensive consultation has been held with a wide range of interested parties over a long period, with similarly positive comments about the design.
“Other suggestions made at the meeting are being considered as we move forward with the plans.”
The Chilmington Green Primary School welcomed its first class last September, but is currently sharing classrooms at Finberry Primary School as it waits for the new school to be built.
Once complete, the huge Chilmington Green estate will be Ashford’s largest development to date, dwarfing other estates such as Finberry.
Work on the first 346 homes at Chilmington began last year and construction of the remaining properties will run until 2030.
