Plans to expand local school have been progressed
Plans to expand a local net zero school have been progressed with Kent County Council following a transfer of land from Keepmoat.
Keepmoat has transferred a 4.3 acre parcel of land from its Cable Wharf development to the local authority to expand The Rosherville Church of England Academy in Northfleet, creating 280 additional school places.
Following the handover of the land, the Council will also create soft and hard landscaping features including a two court, multi-use games area, a 3G artificial grass football pitch, playing fields and a playground.
The expansion will also include provision for 15 special educational needs pupils, a 26-place nursery and a science laboratory, with the new school building taking design inspiration from materials synonymous with the local area, formerly home to a flagship cable factory.
Plans have been revealed in accordance with the Department for Education’s Output Specification, requiring new schools to be net zero in operation, meaning the local authority will provide energy efficiency measures to help achieve this.
To further support Kent County Council, Keepmoat is contributing £75,000 towards upgrading the electricity capacity in the area, which will allow for the installation of electric water heating. Additional eco-feature of the school will include solar PV panels, a green roof to enhance biodiversity, energy efficient lighting, air source heat pump heating systems and hybrid ventilation.
Michael O'Farrell, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat, South Midlands, commented: “We’re thrilled to be supporting the expansion of a much-loved community school to enable it to increase its intake of local children and achieve its net zero targets.
“This fantastic expansion will also benefit the wider community with the outdoor spaces available for residents and local sports groups to use once created. It's an honour to work so closely with the local authority to deliver enhanced community benefits across Northfleet.”
The school expansion is being implemented as part of Keepmoat’s Cable Wharf development, which was recently highly commended at the Housebuilder Awards in the ‘Four Storeys or More’ category and, once complete, will include shops, cafés and amenities, alongside ample public open space, featuring Italian gardens and a riverside promenade.
The new school building and outdoor space is set to open in Spring 2026.
Continue reading