New school places for Thornhill Primary School in Houghton Regis approved
Tuesday, 20 August 2019
Central Bedfordshire Council’s Executive has today (Tuesday, 20 August 2019) approved expansion of Thornhill Primary School.
Subject to successful planning applications, it will mean that the school will expand by 60 places in each year group from September 2021.
This decision follows public consultations that showed high levels of support, as did the Council’s Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee who reviewed this proposal last month.
The additional school places will be provided through a new building on land secured from the neighbouring new housing development adjoining the existing school. Funding for the expansion will total £7.8million and comes from section 106 contributions from the developer.
Admission arrangements for the new site would be finalised and published in time for the school admissions process for children who are due to start school in September 2021.
Councillor Sue Clark, Executive Member for Families, Education and Children, said:
The amount of new homes planned for and currently being built in Houghton Regis shows just what a popular place the area is to live with families. The HRN1 development, will see over 5,000 new homes being provided. This expansion and the planned new schools as part of the development will ensure that there are sufficient places in the areas and allow children to attend schools on their doorstep.