We are thrilled to celebrate the recent opening of Alkerden Academy, a landmark educational and community campus delivered within the Whitecliffe development at Ebbsfleet Garden City.
As one of the largest new educational developments in Kent, the impressive 11.1-hectare campus will provide over 2,200 new places across a comprehensive range of facilities, including a nursery, a 2-Form Entry (2FE) primary school, an 8-Form Entry (8FE) secondary school, and a sixth form. Beyond education, the campus features a dynamic sports centre and dual-use community sports provision, offering high-quality facilities accessible to the public in the evenings and on weekends.
Define’s role in delivering the landscape vision
Define Planning & Design has been deeply involved in shaping the landscape architecture for Alkerden Academy since 2018. We provided landscape architecture design services through RIBA Stages 2–4 and continued to support the project team through a client-side compliance role for RIBA Stage 5.
We are truly delighted with the finished outcome of the campus grounds and external spaces, and we look forward to watching the planting establish and mature over the coming years to create a thriving green environment for pupils, staff, and the wider community.
Building upon our work across Whitecliffe
Our work at Alkerden Academy is part of Define’s long-standing, strategic involvement across the wider Whitecliffe development. We were responsible for producing the Alkerden Design Code and Area Masterplan within which the new academy sits.
Additionally, we are proud to continue our role providing ongoing green infrastructure landscape design services across the wider quarry landscape, helping to establish a green network for nature and residents alike.
A collaborative success
A project of this scale requires extraordinary teamwork, and we would like to give a huge shout-out to our client and master developer, Henley Camland, for their vision and drive across the wider site.
We also extend our congratulations and thanks to the entire multi-disciplinary team, including:
- Academy Consulting
- Lee Evans Partnership
- Graham Group
- CBRE
- Hoare Lea
- Heyne Tillett Steel, and the many other consultant partners who contributed their expertise to bringing this project to life.
Congratulations to everyone involved in reaching this milestone – we wish the students, staff, and local community many happy years in their new home!
