Plans to move a private school from its historic site to make way for more than 1,000 homes have been scrapped due to rising costs.

Ashford School has previously announced it is considering selling land in East Hill near the city center and building a new state-of-the-art campus three miles away.

But now, after nine months and consultation with the council, Hannah Strassburg, alumni and head of development, has written to families saying they have “decided not to pursue this option” because it is too expensive.

The now defunct scheme was announced when all the school’s buildings – some of which are listed – were put forward in a planning process led by Ashford Borough Council (ABC) to identify suitable building sites.

Planning agent Hobbs Parker submitted the site on behalf of the United Church Schools Trust, which runs the site, and said the land could accommodate between 1,000 and 1,200 homes.

The plan was for Ashford School to then build a new secondary block on farmland it owns next to its prep site, in Great Chart, but this project is off the table.

Ms Strassburg told families in her correspondence that a shortfall of around £30m had been identified in the scheme.

The letter read: “I wanted to share an update on an issue that I know is close to the hearts of many in our community.

“As you may be aware, Ashford secondary school has been considering a potential move from the East Hill site to the pre-school site in Great Chart.

“After careful consideration and consultation with the council and other experts, it has been decided not to pursue this option.

“Although the move was initially considered to be financially viable, further analysis has revealed a significant shortfall of around £30m.

“The school remains committed to improving both sites, however, to ensure they remain first class and relevant for many years to come.

“I look forward to sharing more information about these plans soon, so watch this space.”

More than 500 pupils attend the independent high school, which costs £6,786 a term for children in Years 7 to 11 to attend.

Ashford Prep School, meanwhile, is set within 40 acres in Great Chart and has more than 350 primary-age pupils.

Last autumn, the ABC invited people to put forward land they own, or suggest land that could potentially be available, for inclusion in the new local plan.

More than 300 plots were submitted to the “call for plots” and planning officers will now begin assessing each one to look at their “suitability, accessibility and attainability” before any decisions are made.

Once all sites have been assessed, the authority’s preferred options will be published for public consultation.

KentOnline has contacted Ashford School for comment.