Work on new multi-million pound primary school in Telford to start
Work is due to start on a £4.5 million primary school in Telford in the next few weeks.
Lawley Village Primary Academy will be built off Martingale Way in Lawley Village and work will begin at the end of this month. The academy is due to open next January.
Contracts have been signed by Telford & Wrekin Council and Shepherd Construction.
Councillor Paul Watling, the council's cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: "The signing of the contract for the new primary academy in Lawley is welcome news. The academy will provide much needed places for local children in a growing community."
He added the council had agreed a sponsorship agreement for the school with REAch2, a primary-only academy trust and charitable organisation which supports about 35 primary academies across England.
Councillors gave the go-ahead in November to buy land in Lawley and appoint contractors for the 210-place school.
About 3,400 homes will be built in the village over the next few years and councillors have been told there are not enough school places to meet the expected demand.
The school will have scope for expansion to cater for up to 400 pupils. It is one of a number built with cash from the multi-million Building Schools for the Future programme.
Others to be built include Lakeside Learning Campus in Stirchley, which will replace the Lord Silkin School with nearby Grange Primary School also moving to the site. The Lakeside site is expected to provide places for 600 secondary pupils, a drop of 300 on those available at the current Lord Silkin School.
In Oakengates, the Telford Co-operative Academy is expected to be built around the new leisure centre. It will replace the Sutherland School and Wrockwardine Wood Academy and take about 1,200 pupils.
Both are due to open this September.
