An abandoned school site once earmarked entirely for social housing is being sold off by a council months after slashing its own scheme.

The land previously occupied by Highview Special Needs School in Moat Farm Road, Folkestone is now being offloaded to a private developer by Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC).

The authority purchased the site in 2017 and gained planning permission to build 30 ‘eco’ homes in August 2022.

It was approved by its own planning committee, and they were to be let or sold as affordable social housing and built on the land under the council’s ownership.

FHDC cut back its social housing scheme in November after a “long, drawn-out saga” meaning any new owners will now only have to build the minimum required level of 22% as affordable.

The council claims this was done to “make the site more attractive to the market and help bring the homes forward in the planned period” as it looked for a “development partner” to help build the properties.

But now the land is up for sale with a price tag of £1.5 million for a developer to take over the land.

Buildings once belonging to Highview School, which shut in 2016 when pupils moved to a new custom-built site nearby, have been bulldozed.

Estate agent Motis said: “This is an opportunity to purchase a land of 2.25 acres.

“It has full planning permission for 30 affordable dwellings with the potential to alter the plans to change the provision to 22% affordable dwellings.”

Ward councillor Connor McConville still wants to see the council deliver the promised affordable housing at the former school.

The labour representative told KentOnline: “With regards to the Highview site, it has been a long-drawn-out saga, sadly.

“Personally, I would still want to see the site be offered as 100% council-owned and retained.

“When the cabinet comes to determine the future of the site, I would hope they look at local providers who may be willing to go above and beyond the 22% requirement and to also look at ways to include some council housing, perhaps in lieu of the value of the land.”

The proposals will be made up of 10 two-beds, 12 three-beds, two four-beds and six one-bed flats.

They were set to be eco-friendly, thanks to a low-energy design and other initiatives.

These included high levels of insulation, mechanical ventilation with heat-recovery systems, solar panels and air-source heat pumps instead of gas boilers.

The council's website details the “saga” that has been ongoing since the plans were first put forward in 2021.

Work was supposed to begin the following year, but nothing happened.

Then in February 2023, FHDC announced it was pausing the project “due to current market conditions”, and started to think about selling off the land.

In a statement this week, the council said it is still “seeking a development partner” to deliver the homes despite putting the land on the market.

They added: “Folkestone & Hythe District Council is selling the freehold of the site with the benefit of the planning consent.

“The developer will be obligated by the planning policy to allocate the site for use of housing under the Local Plan.

“They can change the design and the unit numbers/types – however this will still have to be policy compliant with any increase in value resulting from this being covered by an overage agreement.

“The council obtained approval to reduce the affordable housing provision on the Highview site due to the financial viability of the scheme.

“The local planning authority’s policy is for new developments to provide 22% affordable housing – this is in line with all other developments within the district.”

Property details on the agent’s listing state the council would consider an offer to build social or affordable housing “in lieu of payment” for the land.