Plan to build new school after safety fears over landslip at site

REPLACEMENT primary school has been proposed for a North Devon village where there are safety fears over the current Grade II listed school.

- by ALISON STEPHENSON

Swimbridge’s replacement Church of England school is within the government's school rebuilding programme and a planning application has now been submitted to North Devon Council following a community consultation.

The current building is on a plateau cut into the side of a large hill on Blakes Hill Road and there has been concern for some time that the ground above the school has been moving down the hill. It is now at risk from a retaining wall, say planning documents, and the long term viability of the structure is in doubt.

The new site will be opposite the current school on what is a large area of community land, owned by the Diocese, and used as playing fields.