Wiltshire - Latest News  RSS feed | About

An artist's impression of how Malmesbury's new primary school will look in just under two years' time

AFTER months of setbacks and waiting, plans for Malmesbury's state of the art new primary school have finally been unveiled.

Proposals for the 14-classroom school, complete with its own technology and media centre, were submitted on Tuesday.

Should all go to plan, the eventual result will be an impressive two-storey S-shaped building.

The structure has been designed in that fashion to take up less room on the site in order to allow more space for outdoor recreation facilities.

It will also include a partial "green" roof, where low-growing plant sedum will be used as a roofing material.

A new school hall will be created as well, which will be available for community use.

The media centre will be a large room filled with technology and computer systems big enough to hold three classes.

The new building has been planned for a low-lying area of the site, surrounded by mature trees, to reduce the visual impact on neighbouring properties.

No firm figure was released on how much the project was likely to cost, but it is expected to be in excess of £3 million.

Spiralling costs have put the process back on a number of occasions and initially, the school was budgeted at £2.5 million.

The current school buildings will be used until the new site is ready.

It is hoped staff and children will be able to move into their new accommodation around Christmas next year.

School governor Tristan Cork said everyone associated with the project was thrilled to have finally reached this stage.

"We're really chuffed," he said. "It really is a school for the 21st century. I hope everyone in the town gets behind the vision we are trying to achieve.

"All the classrooms have got massive banks of windows, so the lighting and heating bills won't be that high.

"It's all environmentally very sound and will serve for many decades."

Mr Cork stressed the plans were separate from Persimmon's proposed housing development on the front of the school site, so any hold up for them would not affect the school.

Headteacher Jeff Staton said: "All the governors, staff and children are very excited about the unique plans for what should be a fantastic new primary school for Malmesbury.

"It has taken some time, but we have worked well with the county council and the architect to produce what will be a wonderful, innovative and vibrant school for future generations. We are proud of the plans and eagerly await the day our shared dream is turned into reality."

Wiltshire county councillor John Thomson said: "I hope it will receive support in the community.

"I know the school and the county have worked very hard together to get over some very difficult issues."

Wiltshire County Council cabinet member for education Nancy Bryant said: "This is an exciting project for Malmesbury.

"If it is given the go-ahead, Malmesbury will have a fantastic new primary school to match the new secondary school built a few years ago."

In 2001, the school originally planned to build a £322,000 extension, as they had been forced to move students into temporary classrooms to cope with increasing numbers.

However, it was decided a new building would be more suitable.

The project is interlinked with plans for a 168-home residential development at Filands as well as the proposed housing on the front of the school site, all of which will help provide funding.

9:53am Thursday 30th March 2006

Print   Email this