The consultation period for plans for a new secondary school in Margate is now open.

It comes as part of plans to provide additional secondary school capacity in Thanet, and could see a new school opening on the former Royal School for the Deaf site.

It would provide 900 places for pupils aged 11 to 16, and open in September 2020.

It would operate four or five Year 7 classes to begin with, with an intake of 120 to 150 places, and would be anticipated grow over a number of years to support the planned 900 places.

There is also a possibility that a new school will open in September 2019 in temporary accommodation, before new buildings would be ready.

While the plans are at an early stage, the county council wants to get the views of parish and town councils, community groups and members of the public.

It is planned to be a free school, receiving its revenue budget directly from central government each year.

The proposals also include a 15-place "specialist resource provision" for pupils with social and emotional needs, with some pupils having a medical diagnosis of autism.

KCC will also look into ways to provide extra capacity within Thanet secondary schools if plans for a new school are delayed.

Roger Gough, KCC’s cabinet member for children, young people and education, said: “Thanet has been identified as an area where the birth rate is higher than both the national and county average. As a consequence of this, as well as inward migration into the district, we will need to find more school places for both primary and secondary children in the coming years.

“Our Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2017-2021 identifies the need for new school provision across Kent, including up to eight form entry in the Thanet district in the medium term and 10 form entry in the longer term as new housing developments proceed.

“Our intention now is to secure a sponsor who can work with us to ensure a new, high quality secondary school can be opened at the Margate site to cater for the rising number of pupils in the area.

"Thanet has been identified as an area where the birth rate is higher than both the national and county average... we will need to find more school places for both primary and secondary children in the coming years" - Roger Gough

“Kent County Council is responsible for ensuring there are sufficient high quality school places for all learners in the county and we take that responsibility very seriously.”

A Free School is an academy school that receives its revenue budget directly from central government each year.

Potential sponsors need to submit an application to KCC by January 15 2018.

The Secretary of State for Education will decide who the sponsor will be and a decision is expected by the end of April 2018.

The successful sponsor will be required to carry out a public consultation when members of the public will have the opportunity to comment on their plans.

You can send your views in via email, school.consultation@kent.gov.uk, or send a letter to Marisa White, Area Education Officer, East Kent Education Office, Brook House, Whitstable, CT5 3SS.

The final date for views and comments to be sent in is Monday, January 15.

The deadline for potential promoters to submit an application is also this date and the Secretary of State will decide who is the successful promoter.

The decision is anticipated to be made by the end of April next year.

The Royal School for the Deaf closed back in 2015 after the trust running the school went into administration.