Plans to construct a new secondary school in Dartford took a major step forward following approval by the council's development control board.

The outline application for the site, located in Cotton Lane, also notes the construction of up to 140 homes as well as more than 46 acres of public open space on the site.

According to a council report, the school is expected to take in close to 1200 students, in addition to a 250 place sixth form.

It also notes that the construction of Stone Lodge School will provide close to 100 full-time jobs.

Council leader Jeremy Kite said he was pleased upon hearing that the school's application has been approved and declared the news as a "major step forward for the community."

"Some suggested that we should have sold this land to the highest bidder but that would have inevitably seen the whole site fall in to the hands of developers and that’s not our way.

"Our plan for Stone Lodge is that it should remain a fundamentally green space and home to a number of facilities of social benefit to the community," he said.

Cllr Kite went on to say that amenities, such as Stone Lodge School, are much needed in the area and this is only the start of further developments which the town will benefit from.

"We are absolutely determined to help make sure that infrastructure like schools and health facilities are delivered to support our growing town. It’s something that residents say they want and they are quite right.

"The school is much needed and will offer local children new learning facilities of the highest quality.

"Construction of a new community building and rugby club is underway nearby and the two will work brilliantly together.

"We’re also working with the NHS to deliver a new health centre in Stone and as part of a plan that safeguards the wider Stone Lodge site for the community and public use.

The council report also shows that 30 per cent of the proposed homes will be affordable, with one half becoming available for shared ownership and the other half becoming available for affordable renting and social housing. This is in line with the Council's target for affordable housing.

Stone Ward councillor and shadow council leader, Jonathan Hawkes has said that although he is pleased to see this approved, there are still some finer details which needed ironing out first.

"We desperately need new secondary school places in Dartford so it’s good news that this has been approved in principle. However, there remains work to do on the detail before the school opens its doors," he said.

"Local people in Stone are rightly very concerned about the potential impact of extra traffic on our already congested roads. That’s why Labour is calling for - and what Stone residents need to see - firm plans to make sure that when the school does open we don’t see lots of additional car traffic on local roads, we don’t see the dangerous parking we’ve seen outside other schools and we don’t see worsening air quality."

According to the school's website, the building is set to be completed by September 2020.