An artist's impression of how the new K College campus at Elwick Road, Ashford, would look

by James Scott

Plans for a new £20million college campus in Ashford town centre have been postponed due to a lack of funding.

K College, which hoped to build the complex in Elwick Road, said the recession has delayed the project for at least two years.

The former South Kent College buildings, where it was to be built, were due to be demolished back in the spring after permission was granted last June.

Principal Bill Fearon said: “In Ashford, a new campus remains a key priority but the timescale is now likely to include an intermediary period.

"We are now unlikely to be able to undertake a new build for at least two years, unless new and different forms of funding become available.

“It is too expensive in the current climate in the short term. The public sector at large, including colleges, are having to take austerity measures, and we have to budget within financial cuts and constraints that were not in place when we first embarked on the project.”

He added: “If and when we do go ahead, the scale of the development may be smaller than currently proposed and this will please some residents who wanted to preserve existing buildings on the site.”

He also revealed that K College were looking at alternative sites in and around the town centre.

Plans were submitted for the demolition and construction of the new K College

“The high costs of our existing campus in Jemmett Road, South Ashford means we are looking seriously at other locations in or nearer the town centre from which we can develop both our further and higher education programmes,” he said.

“Successful, contemporary colleges now operate very flexibly from a wide range of locations, including within employers’ own workplaces and having a major campus is not possible, or indeed necessary, in all of the five towns in which K College operates.

“There is the opportunity to utilise a range of good, cost effective alternative accommodation. The support we receive from Ashford Borough Council is a major benefit to the college in the short and long term.”

Earlier this month, it was announced that K College, which has campuses in Dover, Folkestone, Ashford, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells, could cut up to 145 jobs as part of a restructure to reduce its payroll.

The delay of the Ashford campus project is part of a wide-ranging review of K College’s financial position in the current economic climate. However the sale of the Jemmett Road site, which will see 241 homes built in its place, will still go ahead, subject to College Corporation approval and legal agreements.

Mr Fearon (pictured left) said: “K College senior managers are reviewing the options of an interim move to the centre of Ashford, and are working closely with Ashford Borough Council on this.

"K College had agreed terms to sell its land at Jemmett Road to Persimmon Homes to pay for the new build, subject to legal agreements being finalised. K College is discussing options for a phased handover.”

The Elwick Road campus had been due to provide state-of-the-art facilities offering a range of vocational courses tailored to the needs of local businesses.

All proposals are currently being reviewed and decisions will be made with the approval of K College governors, and the Skills Funding Agency, over the coming months.