Work to start on new school

Published 28 Jul 2010 09:30

A LONG-AWAITED new school has finally been approved.

Parents who live in the Jennett's Park housing development, just north of Bracknell, were left frustrated when

original plans for its primary school to open this September were delayed by the recession.

Construction will now begin in September and the school will initially open with half capacity, welcoming 210 pupils, 30 pupils in each of the primary school years, in September next year.

Mike Owen, spokesman for Jennett's Park Consortium, a partnership between Redrow Homes (Southern) Limited and Persimmon Homes Limited which has invested £3m in the development, said: "We are delighted that the planning application for the primary school at Jennett's Park has been approved.

"The school will be at the heart of the Jennett's Park community and we know that existing and prospective residents will welcome the news that building work will soon be under way."

The school, which will eventually offer 420 places, will include 14 classrooms, a 26-place nursery, two grass sports pitches, a play area and a wildlife corridor. The development will also include a neighbourhood square with trees and benches which in future will also include a doctors' surgery and community centre.

Caroline Elkins, leader of Jennett's Park community association, said: "It kick starts other things like the community centre and shop and helps to build the community because it gives people a place to meet up."

Natural light will flood the corridors of the Y-shaped Jennett's Park primary through a glass ceiling the length of the building and the school, which will be run by the Diocese of Oxford, will have an asymmetric metal roof.

Gordon Joyner, Deputy Director of Education for the Diocese of Oxford, said: "We are delighted that planning consent has been granted for the new CofE primary school at Jennett's Park.

"The shell of the whole

building will be built in one go, so that the second half of the school can be fitted out when required according to growth on the new estate."

The application was approved at Bracknell Forest Council's planning meeting on Thursday where Cllr Colin Dudley, vice chairman of the planning committee, said: "It looks like a really lovely

establishment in which to learn and I'm very pleased with it."

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This article appeared in Villager 28 Jul 10

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