New school plans revealed for former sugar beet factory redevelopment site
Plans have been revealed for a new 150-pupil primary school to serve a growing housing estate.
Up to 470 homes are planned for the former British Sugar site at Allscott, and some of these are already built and occupied.
SJ Roberts Construction Ltd, the company behind the project, has also committed to build a school, among other facilities.
Blueprints submitted by the company director Mike Sambrook show the school would be placed between the B4394 and the Wellington-to-Shrewsbury railway line.
Wrockwardine Parish Council will be consulted, and Telford and Wrekin Council’s planning department will make its decision at a later date.
Planning permission or a “mixed-use development” including the homes, the school and other facilities was granted in 2016.
Full planning permission for 200 of those homes was granted in 2020, and construction began.
A design statement, prepared by Welshpool-based SJ Roberts Construction, says: “With many properties now lived in by residents, the need for the primary school is becoming apparent.”
The proposed school consists of six classrooms, all between 60 and 69 square metres, a sports hall, a kitchen, a staff room, offices, storage rooms and various one-to-one teaching, support and interview rooms.
A 1.1-acre sports field, a 726 sq m hard-surfaced sports court, 40 bike parking spaces, 16 staff and two visitor car parking spaces and a minibus berth would be included within the school grounds.
“The school will front the village green and form a focal point,” the company statement says.
“The main entrance is located immediately opposite the road approaching the school. The nursery entrance is located beyond this via a footpath.
“Over 450 new homes will be within the immediate vicinity of the school, all with strong pedestrian links.
“Ongoing education and events will encourage staff and pupils alike to uptake sustainable methods of transport.”
The sports hall, the reception and corridor leading to it and a nearby toilet would be available for community use and accessible outside of school hours.
“All other area will be locked and not accessible,” the statement adds.
In April 2021, Telford and Wrekin Council’s cabinet agreed to trigger a “free school presumption” – the process involving the Regional Schools Commissioner’s Office by which an operator for a newly-built school is appointed.
In her report for the 10-member executive, School Organisation and Admissions officer Shane Billingham noted that SJ Roberts Construction was expected to apply for full planning permission for the school late this year “and, if approved construction would start in May 2022 ahead of opening in September 2023”.
