Plans to knock down and replace school approved

A PLAN to demolish and replace a main school building will go ahead following council approval.

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT

The Department for Education (DfE) asked for planning consent to knock down the St Paul’s Catholic Primary School's main building, and erect a “new modern, replacement one-storey school building” repositioned parallel with Thames Road.

It was proposed to open parts of the site for community uses outside school hours.

The replacement school is part of improvements to the grounds to support pupils’ education and extra-curricular needs by the Bishop Hogarth Catholic Educational Trust.

A new teaching block will be built and the existing main school building will be demolished, with a linked existing smaller building kept. This will come along with new outdoor play areas, a “multifunctional games area”, large grass pitch, wildflower and meadow planting, parking, cycle storage and other landscaping.

The plans say there will be no changes to the number of pupils coming into the Billingham school - 210 pupils aged three to 11, with 26 full-time nursery places and alternative resources provision for six pupils.