Northamptonshire County Council has submitted a planning application for a new primary school on Irthlingborough Road at the heart of the new Stanton Cross community.
Subject to approval from Wellingborough Borough Council’s Planning Committee, the school will eventually welcome 420 pupils between the ages of four and 11 from September 2022. Construction is scheduled to get underway in summer 2021 on the two-storey building. Proposals include classrooms, a main hall and kitchen, plus a playground and soft play area, as well as a dedicated children’s centre for younger pupils.
The McAvoy Group is principal contractor on the project, a specialist in offsite modern methods of construction. The new building is designed to provide a stimulating educational space and complement the wider environment created by Stanton Cross Developments LLP. It will give priority to pedestrians and cyclists, ensuring the school has a safe and secure layout to encourage more environmentally-friendly methods of travel for pupils and staff alike.
To support a commitment to sustainable development at Stanton Cross, new native tree species and hedgerows will be planted on the northern boundary of the school and within the proposed car parking. This will help to enhance the site’s ecology and aesthetics, while naturally blending into the surrounding landscape.
Councillor Fiona Baker, Cabinet member for Children’s Services at Northamptonshire County Council, said: “Northamptonshire County Council is committed to investing in education services and providing children and young people with the best possible learning experience. The proposed new primary school at Stanton Cross will help us to meet the growing demand for school places in Wellingborough and will be crucial in supporting the creation of the new community. We are looking forward to working closely with the partners developing Stanton Cross to deliver this project and seeing the innovative design established to create a modern, sustainable school environment.”
Lee Barrett, Divisional Operations Director for Vistry Group and a representative of Stanton Cross Developments LLP, promoters of the Stanton Cross project, said: “We are making great progress at this new landmark development in spite of the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. With the planning application now submitted for a new primary school at Stanton Cross, our vision for the community is really starting to take shape. This is another important milestone for Stanton Cross and its residents, and it takes us a significant step closer to creating a vibrant and sustainable new Wellingborough community.”
Stephen Clayton, Head of Pre-Construction at The McAvoy Group, added: “The proposed new primary school has been designed to the exacting standards of NCC, to deliver an exemplar learning environment for its pupils, where they can feel comfortable and enjoy attending school. The use of modern, offsite construction methods will allow us to deliver the state of the art building much more quickly and with limited disruption to pupils – we’re very proud to be able to play a role in its delivery and we look forward to getting started on site.”
Stanton Cross is a £1 billion residential-led development to the east of Wellingborough which will eventually include 3,650 new homes, alongside new leisure and retail amenities and commercial space – including offices, industrial space and a trade park.
For more information about Stanton Cross, visit www.stantoncross.co.uk