School wants to sell off landmark mill

Ashford School wants to sell off the town’s former flour mill, planning documents have revealed.

The historic HS Pledge and Son mill, at the bottom of East Hill, is more familiar to residents as the home of several former nightclubs, most recently Liquid and Envy.

The private school took over the unlisted building in 2011, but now plans to release it from its estate.

Plans emerged as bosses submitted a proposal for a new sixth form centre within its grounds to Ashford Borough Council (ABC).

A statement submitted with the plan said: “The flour mill, currently empty, but incurring annual costs, should be released from the school estate in due course, with conditions of disposal which provide some control over the nature of future redevelopment by others, to ensure future development is complementary to the school.”

In 2017, proposals emerged to turn the seven-storey building, which was rebuilt after a disastrous fire in May 1974, into a performing arts centre complete with a 250-seat theatre and staff offices.

Construction of a number of studio flats and a nursery on the ground floor have also been considered, but the 1901built flour mill is no longer part of the school’s draft ‘masterplan’, which has been drawn up by architect Shepheard Epstein Hunter.

Instead, the ‘masterplan’ includes plans for the new sixth form building within the school site, with bosses saying the two-storey structure should be “built as a priority”.

It comes as school leaders envisage student numbers will increase by 60% from 500 to about 800 due to Ashford’s expansion.

If approved, the building will include space for students to socialise and study, alongside classrooms and staff area, allowing the school to welcome more sixth form students.

According to the application, it will also contain a conference room “to build on its existing good relationships with the surrounding community by being able to hold events which can be attended by local people who are not currently connected with the school”.

For more information on the sixth form centre plan, or to leave a comment, visit www.ashford.gov.uk and search for application 20/00004/AS

How the sixth form centre is set to look