The site of an old mental health hospital has been earmarked for a 1,500 pupil secondary school and a new home for Dartford’s only rugby club.

Stone Lodge is a 32 hectare site in Cotton Lane, Dartford, owned by Dartford council, next door to the judo centre and bowls club and formerly occupied by Stone House Hospital.

It is the subject of a proposal from Braeside Developments for both an eight-form entry secondary school and two pitches and a club house for Dartford Valley Rugby Club (DVRFU).

Details were revealed in documents submitted to the council by Braeside.

Kent County Council (KCC) would develop the school, which would cover 6.8 hectares and host 1,200 pupils aged between 11 and 16, with another 360 pupils for post-16 study.

Some of the school buildings could be up to three storeys in height and all access would probably be via London Road, which is part of the A226.

DVRFU were promised a new ground and clubhouse during the Conservatives’ 2015 council election campaign, with more than £1 million pledged.

The ground would follow other sporting investments such as Princes Park, which opened in November 2006 at a reported cost of about £7 million, and a £1 million pavilion at Dartford Cricket Club, which opened last year.

DVRFU are based at the Leigh Academy in Green Street Green Road, but Stone Lodge would provide two pitches and a clubhouse across five hectares.

One of the pitches would be an all-weather pitch and there would also be parking.

The club have two men’s teams, a women’s team, a wheelchair team and a youth academy. Training would take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, with about 30 home matches expected each season.

Access would be via the same route as Dartford Judo Club and Dartford Stone Lodge Indoor Bowls and Social Club in Cotton Lane.

DVRFU were not in position to comment until after a meeting with Dartford council officials, scheduled to take place today (Thursday).

Stone Lodge could also boast up to 200 homes, rising to as many as 500 if KCC decided not to pursue its school development.

The properties would take up close to seven hectares, with just over 11 more for recreational space.

In 1996 there was a plan for a conference centre, indoor bowls club, outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts, but it was turned down because of its scale.

A sports centre and a wildlife centre were pitched in 2004 but neither made it off the ground.

The judo and bowls clubs were approved in 2004 and 2006 respectively.