Planning go-ahead for further £14m investment for new Kingsgrove primary school and infrastructure works

The Vale of White Horse Council Planning Committee has granted consent for St. Modwen, the developer leading the 227-acre Kingsgrove residential scheme, to develop a brand new 2-form-entry 420 pupil primary school plus pre-school on the site in Wantage, as one of the key community benefits that the company is delivering as part of its 1,500 homes development.

Set in 2.2 hectares the contemporary school building features glass, timber, red brick and pitched roofs. The plans will also deliver playing fields, sports pitches, a playground, a multi-use games area (MUGA) and car parking. St. Modwen worked closely with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) on the design of the school including consultation in May 2018 and a public exhibition in September 2018.

St. Modwen intends to start building the primary school this summer 2019, with targeted completion and handover to OCC for fit out summer 2020 and the school welcoming its first pupils in September 2020.

Consent was also granted for advanced infrastructure works (AIW4) for the vast majority of the remaining roads on the eastern side of the site; a car park for the sports pavilion that will be used as drop-off by the primary school; the public square in front of the community centre and the open space associated with the woodland to the south east of the new neighbourhood centre.

Rob Draper, Development Director at St. Modwen, said: “This is a major milestone in the evolution of this project with the primary school and infrastructure works creating the heart of this new community.   The plans for the school will create a light, flexible space that is ideal for modern learning and will serve future generations. The carefully considered layout also means the building can be zoned to allow extended use of the school during evenings and weekends by a variety of users. We are also delighted to be delivering the school so that it can be ready for pupils starting September 2020.”

The 227-acre site at Kingsgrove was granted outline planning permission in July 2015 by the Vale of the White Horse Council District Council for up to 1,500 homes, the new primary school, a neighbourhood centre including a community hall, pub/restaurant and local retail space, sports pitches, employment space and community amenities set around a central park.

The architect for the school is Gloucester based Roberts Limbrick.

For further information and to view all the site progress please visit www.kingsgrovewantage.co.uk