Peterborough City Council approves expansion of primary school to meet needs following housing development

Peterborough City Council’s cabinet has authorised the expansion of the Duke of Bedford Primary School in Thorney.

Two new mobile classrooms will be built at the school, as well as an additional classroom in the existing school, to cater for an extra 15 pupils, raising its total admissions from 30 to 45.

At a meeting on April 15, councillor Katy Cole, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Local schools for local children is a priority for this administration and I’m delighted that the school have agreed to take up to 15 additional pupils over the current published admission number, and therefore require two additional classrooms to deal with the capacity.”

The expansion was deemed necessary due to a new housing development in Thorney constructed by Allison Homes.

Construction of the classrooms will begin in May and is expected to be completed for September’s intake of pupils, with an aim to reduce the need for home to school transport for children in the area.

The project will be funded using Community Infrastructure Levy contributions from Allison Homes.

Councillor Mohammed Jamil, cabinet member for finance, asked cllr Cole what is being done to alleviate any infrastructure concerns that residents may have.

Cllr Cole said: “I understand that when schools expand and there is additional transport, cars, or pupil numbers, that can be really frustrating for residents in the local area.

“But I’m assured by the planning team that regulations will be put in place to ensure that this can be monitored. There’s also active travel, which encourages pupils to walk and cycle to school as well.”

Councillor Steve Allen, who represents the Eye, Thorney and Newborough ward, said he was “very pleased” with the decision made by cabinet.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It is a relatively small village but it has outlying areas which means that parents do need to use their cars to take their children to school.

“As we know now, with the way we have two parents working, often one or the other will have to drop their children off on route to their employment.

“The reality is, with an expanding village you need an expanding school.

“Not everybody would say the idea of the village growing is a good thing but it’s a reality and therefore one has to be realistic and cater for it accordingly.”