A defunct secondary school which closed its doors for the final time last month due to falling numbers could be resurrected in years to come, we can reveal.

Education chiefs have disclosed that the Chaucer Technology School site in Canterbury is being earmarked for a future secondary to meet the city’s projected population growth.

Pupils left classes for the final time on June 23 following Kent County Council’s decision to shut the school as it was “no longer viable”.

But KCC now says that Canterbury is likely to need a new school if more than 15,000 new homes are built, as suggested in the local council’s future development blueprint.

Patrick Leeson, corporate director of education for the county authority, told the Gazette: “The Chaucer Technology site, including its associated fields, will revert to the responsibility of KCC on September 1.

“A site appraisal will be undertaken, looking at the possibility of opening a secondary school in several years’ time, linked to the future housing developments for Canterbury set out in the current draft Local Plan.”

Canterbury City Council’s draft Local Plan is due to be examined by a government inspector at public sessions starting next week.

In it, the council has identified swathes of land in the district on which future residential developments could be built to meet government housing demands.

Controversially, the Local Plan forecasts a further 15,600 homes for the area over the next 18 years, with more than 4,000 earmarked for the south Canterbury area.

Mr Leeson said: “The need for a new secondary provision will be after 2020, depending on the build-out rate of the planned new housing developments.”

KCC formally announced news in February last year that the school in Spring Lane would close.

Education chiefs said falling pupil numbers had left the school “particularly vulnerable”, meaning there were inadequate funds to pay for enough teachers.

Letters explaining the closure were sent to parents of all 609 pupils. Children in Years 7, 8 and 9 were offered places at other schools while those in Year 10 stayed on to complete their GCSEs.

Pupils in Years 11 and 12 were given help finding places in schools and colleges elsewhere.

KCC’s cabinet member for education, Roger Gough, said at the time the decision was being taken with a “heavy heart” and “as a last resort.”

The authority said this week that the site is being used by a nursery and some charitable organisations in the short-term.

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