Decision details

To seek approval to relocate Laleham Gap School, Margate, by way of a land exchange for a site at New Haine Road, Ramsgate owned by East Kent Opportunities where a new SEN school is to be built to replace both Laleham Gap School, Margate and Laleham Gap House School, Broadstairs.

Laleham Gap is being re-built on a new site under the government’s Priority Schools Building programme in order to increase available places and further improve Special Educational Needs capacity in Kent. It is planned to move to a new site currently owned by EKO at Westwood Cross, adjacent to the Marlow Academy.

The decision to issue a public notice to relocate and expand the school was taken under 13/00013/1.  Following new objections received during the statutory notice period the Cabinet Member was required to take a further formal decision – 13/00013/2 in order to have had due regard to that new information before finally deciding to relocate and enlarge the school.

The decision relating to the potential land exchange will be the subject of a separate Cabinet Member decision – 13/00013/3 under the Portfolio of the Cabinet member for Corporate and Democratic Services.

Following the receipt of responses to the statutory notice the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform has considered any new information and has agreed to relocate Laleham Gap (Special) School, Margate and increase the designated number from 152 to 170.