1 week Ago By [email protected] (Alex Langridge)
New CGIs have been revealed for a secondary school’s proposed expansion. Plans have been drawn up for a two-storey teaching block at Northfleet Technology College (NTC) to meet the growing demand for places. The new building will see two general teaching classrooms, two catering training classrooms, two engineering workshops, one zonal teaching area, and one dining hall created if approved.
The scheme also includes an expansion to its wellbeing garden, hard and soft landscaping and plans for a new road for servicing and deliveries. It comes as the secondary school , in Colyer Road, Northfleet , along with Kent County Council (KCC), looks to increase the number of pupils it admits annually. The local authority has a legal duty to ensure sufficient school places are available and, according to its education commissioning plan, there will be a shortfall in Year 7 places in the next five years.
It anticipates there will be an “ongoing increasing demand” for secondary school places in Gravesham due to “increased dwelling constructions along with migration from the greater London areas”. To meet the needs, the school, which is part of the Northfleet Schools Co-operative Trust, temporarily offered 189 spots in 2023 and 2024 instead of 164. It is now looking to make the change permanent which will see a new Year 7 class created, eventually increasing the number of students across the site to 1,120.
The construction of a new teaching block will allow the school to accommodate an extra 200 students across eight teaching spaces and extend its dining hall facilities to seat 132 pupils. According to the plans, NTC will also hire 15 more teachers bringing the total number of staff members to 135. The submitted design and access statement added: “Ultimately, this design not only meets the immediate requirements of the school but also anticipates future needs, ensuring adaptability and sustainability.
“The proposed solution aims to create an engaging, functional, and nurturing learning environment that supports the school’s educational mission and enhances the overall student experience.” The expansion will be paid for using KCC’s basic need capital budget, however, the total cost has not yet been disclosed. To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here .
Last year, permission was granted to erect two temporary structures with four classrooms on the school’s field which would be removed in 2027..
