Go-ahead given for new Worthing school
Bluebell Primary will be run by New Horizons Academy Trust on the West Durrington estate
The green light has been given for a new school to be built in Worthing.
Parents are being promised 'more choice for school places' for their children after Worthing Borough Council approved planning permission for the new primary school and nursery in West Durrington.
The proposed Bluebell Primary School, which will be run by New Horizons Academy Trust, will be built on a former work compound in the heart of the West Durrington estate.
Proposals for the facility, to be built to the south of Peony Grove and Thistle Spinney, were approved by the Council’s Planning Committee at a meeting on Wednesday December 15, 2021.
When it's complete, the two-form entry school will accommodate 420 pupils, as well as 32 nursery places with the building being funded by the Department for Education.
Councillors said they recognised the importance the school, nursery and outdoor playing space would bring to the local community, supporting the ongoing construction of nearly 1,000 homes at West Durrington.
Cllr Nicola Waight, Worthing Executive Member for Regeneration, said:
“The West Durrington estate has been an important addition to the town, giving local families access to good-quality homes. But we know that communities need more than houses to thrive - which is why we have been so intent on making sure there is the right infrastructure to support new and existing residents."
“This new school and nursery is an important piece in the jigsaw, providing high-quality facilities for local children to be educated."
“It will also create more school places in the town as numbers continue to grow, giving parents more choice when it comes to choosing a school place for their children.”
BLUEBELL PRIMARY: More about the new school
The site four miles north west of Worthing town centre, was cleared in March 2021 and has recently been used as a construction compound for the housing development.
The new L-shaped two-storey school building will be 2,272 sqm in size, consisting of 14 classrooms, nursery, play space, kitchen, library, playing pitches, tree planting and parking for 26 cars.
Access for Bluebell school will be via Sunflower Street with two separate pedestrian and cycle routes throughout the development. The new playing pitch on the eastern side of the site will support a variety of sports throughout the year.
Funding for the new facility was provided by the Department for Education on the grounds it will operate as a Free School.