Sevenoaks Grammar Annexe Build Unlikely to Start Before Legal Challenge By Sevenoaks Chronicle

BUILDING work on the Sevenoaks girls' grammar annexe is unlikely to start until after an expected legal challenge – which may take months to conclude if granted by a judge.

Kent County Council (KCC) confirmed this week it would only enter into a building contract for Weald of Kent's annexe "when it is appropriate to do so" but is still aiming for an opening date of September 2017

Anti-grammar campaign group Comprehensive Future is expected to try and bring a judicial review but confirmed this week it was still taking legal advice over the bid.

Comprehensive Future secretary Margaret Tulloch told the Chronicle it was highly likely the education campaign group would front a challenge against the Seal Hollow Road project.

But Ms Tulloch said the group was still working out their best legal arguments and it may wait until the end of the three month time limit to bring it to the High Court. Its legal arguments are likely to centre around whether an annexe to a school can be located nine miles away from its main site.

If the judicial review application is granted by a High Court judge, the legal process could take - in the most extreme scenario - anything up to a couple of years, depending on the complexity of the argument.

A KCC spokeswoman said: "If a Judicial Review is made on the decision, then KCC will take a view on its position at that time."

Comprehensive Future already has the backing of Knole Academy head Mary Boyle, who denounced the decision to grant permission to Weald of Kent's grammar 'annexe' as "illegal and wrong".

Meanwhile, the Weald decision has already led to other existing grammars across the country announcing their interest in opening a new annexe, including Wallington County Grammar in Sutton.

http://www.courier.co.uk/Sevenoaks-grammar-annexe-build-unlikely-start/story-28085514-detail/story.html