Residents and the parish council in St Margaret’s have voiced their fears over a new development for Portal House School.

A planning application submitted by Kent County Council could result in the school’s Victorian building in Sea Street being demolished and replaced.

More than 100 residents opposed the application at a public meeting held at St Margaret’s village hall last week.

David Hart, chairman of St Margaret’s Parish Council, said: “What they want to replace it with is quite disgraceful. It’s 10 yards outside the conservation area. The building is of a totally inappropriate design.”

The parish council says a security fence around the outside would create an adverse visual impact and the proposed playing field is under consideration by Natural England as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

There are also concerns that the footpath from Chapel Lane to St Margaret’s Primary School would not be maintained if the development went ahead.

Mr Hart added: “If no acceptable alternative path is agreed this will mean that more than 100 children would have to walk along the narrowest part of Sea Street for over 200 yards.

“This road averages over 3,000 vehicle movements a day, and this would really put these children in harm’s way.”

The parish council is not against the re-build in general but residents including Bill Ratchford, of The Droveway, don’t want to see the school demolished at all.

He said: “It’s one of the biggest and oldest buildings in St Margaret’s. It’s a building of architectural note.

“It’s the most prominent building in the town other than the church.”

Portal House School teaches children with behavioural problems and is not “fit for purpose” for the increasing need.

The school wishes to increase the amount of pupils by more than a third.

MP Charlie Elphicke, who lives in St Margaret’s, visited the school to speak to head teacher Rosemary Bradley about the plans.

He said: “A rebuild will make the school a better environment and support more children. However, many residents are concerned about the new designs and the effect they might have on the local community.

“Before any rebuild goes ahead, the council needs to make sure the new designs are in keeping with the beautiful St Margaret’s village and local residents are fully consulted on rebuild plans.

“I look forward to the council putting forward new designs that are more in keeping.”

Rosemary Bradley, head teacher at Portal House School said: “We very much welcome the latest proposal to develop our school facilities.

“KCC has recently looked at a number of options to bring the facilities up to modern standards which are more appropriate to meet the needs of the school and its pupils.
“This latest proposal is feasible and is still a work in progress between KCC, its architects, planners and the school.”

“What they want to replace it with is quite disgraceful. It’s 10 yards outside the conservation area. The building is of a totally inappropriate design.” - David Hart.

KCC’s Area Education Officer David Adams said: “The current buildings at Portal House School are not fit for purpose and parts cannot currently be used. Therefore a new cost-effective building has been designed to meet the needs of the school.

“We have endeavoured to take on board concerns raised by local representatives and the parish council about the new building planned, and as a result have agreed to move the new building back three metres away from the road and changed the colour to an off-white shade.

“We are also working with our consultants to see whether further design changes can be achieved to address concerns about the visual impact of the building, whilst still ensuring the building addresses its primary function of supporting the delivery of high quality education.”

Mr Adams added that the plan was still going through the consultation phase.