An application to build 150 properties at the former Royal School for Deaf Children in Margate has been submitted to Thanet council.
Geronimo Estates LLP says it plans to build a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bed terraced, detached and semi-detached properties along with a single block of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments.
Plans also include a play area, a community building, vehicle access from Victoria Road – which will be widened-and two points at Park Crescent Road and links for pedestrians and cyclists.
However, only 10% affordable housing – equalling 15 homes- is proposed rather than the standard 30%.
Documents on behalf of the developer say: “Whilst the applicant supports the need for affordable housing, a Viability Assessment has been carried out which confirms that it is not viable to provide the full quantum of 30% affordable dwellings on this particular site.
“To this end, the Viability Assessment has calculated that the scheme can viably include the provision of 10% of affordable housing.”
A new community building will be provided within the parkland area on the western side of the site. The building will sit alongside new play areas and could be used by “ local groups/clubs such as scouts, the Women’s Institute and hobby groups.”
A new pedestrian crossing will be provided over Park Crescent Road.
The developer says it seeks “to retain as many of the existing trees where possible, particularly within the TPO zones.”
The southern retaining wall will be restored as part of the development.
The company completed a purchase of the five hectare site from Kent County Council in February.
KCC put the site up for sale last year with ‘positive’ pre-application plans to build 185 houses.
The authority had previously paid £6.8m (exclusive of VAT) for the land in 2020.
Most of the school buildings have been demolished although buildings remaining at the time of sale included the former cricket pavilion and swimming pool with adjoining garages, a timber shed, two, 2-storey dwellings and the hydrotherapy centre.
The Blue Wave hydrotherapy centre is not part of the development plan.
The Royal School for Deaf Children was founded in 1792 because of campaigning by Rev John Townsend, a Bermondsey priest, who sought to provide free education for deaf children.
In 1876 the Margate branch of the school was opened – the John Townsend Trust relocated to Margate as it was considered that the sea air would be beneficial to student’s health and well-being.
The school was shut down suddenly in December 2015 after The John Townsend Trust, which ran it, went into administration.
The distressing closure of the school and Westgate College resulted in some 500 job losses and scores of children left without a specialist school placement.
The land had been earmarked for a new secondary school but in December 2021 this proposal was ditched for a second time by KCC following discussions with the Department for Education over the forecast of reduced pupil numbers in the district.
In 2022 the site was put forward by KCC for a potential 200 home development as part of Thanet council’s Local Plan review.
An update to the Thanet Local Plan – a blueprint for housing, business and infrastructure on the isle –was due to be extended to cover the period to 2040 – and included the need for land/sites to accommodate an additional 4,000-4,500 dwellings.
When putting the site forward, KCC said: “Given the site is no longer being brought forwards for education use other development options are now being considered. Given the highly sustainable nature of the site within the urban area of Margate, residential development would appear logical.”
KCC sold the five hectare site this year with Geronimo Estates borrowing £3.6m from Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited, creating a charge on the deaf school land.
Geronimo Estates held a public exhibition to show the plans in June at St John the Baptist community centre.
The application can be viewed on Thanet council’s planning portal, reference OL/TH/25/0996.
At least it’s not farmland.
Have to agree, its better than building on greenbelt. Whoever’s overseeing this should make sure the infrastructure and public spaces go in early doors and not left to the end. When the developer has run out of money.
Utter negligence.
We have so much housing being built in Thanet which so many people are treating and labelling their children with Autism and no new schools built.
Current capacity of schools are breaching max levels and it deemed not worthwhile to replace a special school with a better equipped one.
Greed for money and that brings in we can only do 10% affordable housing. TDC better wise up.
What no shops ,pubs ,doctors surgeries ,dental surgeries,no new school built ,on dear it was a school. KCC making a killing on this site
Vile.
For 150 properties you need a minimum of 300 parking spaces, for residents and visitors. How many are in the plans?
No you don’t. It’s a 10 minute stroll from shops and buses, and 20 minutes from a main train station. There are also safe cycle routes.
Get real – people these days have cars and use them. Due to parking in Broadstairs I decided to take Loop bus last week. Had to wait 40 minutes. A couple of months ago took bus to Canterbury. Return bus terminated in Cecil Square due to driver hours. I then had to get to Cliftonville. That’s why me and others continue to use cars. (And due to joint problems I can’t ride a bike and am limited in walking).
Your joints would be far healthier if you walked more.
I am not sure kcc should be propping up a bad deal done with a bangkok bank by the developers . It seems to me that a local plan which initially seemed a good thing is being now used to hold KCc to ransom.
So KCC payed £6.8 for it in 2020 and sold it this year for £3.6 ,that’s more Tax payers money wasted, didn’t even get back what KCC payed for it 🤔
We don’t know if they sold it for less. Just that Geronimo borrowed the money from Bangkok bank. They might have HD their own collateral up front.
What is strange is that KCC were advised that pupil numbers were on the decrease so a school wasn’t built. It is clear to most though that it is on the increase. Bad advice there.
Where are all these people coming from. These developments are certainly not for the Thanet residents.
Has it escaped your attention that the UK has been going through a prolonged period of high migration? They all meed to live somewhere.
To be fair, Labour have a brilliant new policy: 2 out, 1,072 in.
Housing on a brownfield site- what’s wrong with that?
As opposed to a place of employment?
I always thought that when KCC ,bought from The John Townsend Trust, it had a caveat on the place it could only be used for Educational use ,and it lasted for 10 years when it was sold to KCC, that is why they looked at secondary school there