Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Losing art deco-style gem
lack of accommodation in their new schools.” Mr Baxter says the new-build will “seriously compromise the quality of education” delivered by the school and would cost far more in tax payers’ money than the refurbishment work he favours. But there’s a risk in turning down the proposal.
Chairman of the governing body Paul Addis said: “We can say no, but if we do that’s it, we’d risk being pulled out of the programme. I’ve been involved with the school since 1977. My daughter was a pupil here and so was my late wife. The Langton is in my blood. I wouldn’t do anything to harm it. But we’re left banging our heads against a bureaucratic brick wall. It’s public money and we want to see value for money – the parents want to see value for money.
“We can’t possibly make a decision as important as this without parental support.”
Mr Addis says the school would rather shun the ESFA’S new three-storey school in favour of moving to land near the Langton Boys’ school.
Much of the land on which the girls’ school stands is owned by an endowment fund, which would plough back any money raised from the sale of the site – likely for housing – into any move. “One alternative is to pull the whole lot down, sell the site and relocate wholesale,” said Mr Addis.
It is understood attempts may be made to have the main building listed to protect it from demolition.
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