New classroom approved for East End school

Last Wednesday, Basingstoke councillors approved plans submitted by St Martin’s Primary School to build a single-storey, double classroom at the Stargrove Lane site, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The headteacher, Peter Shelton, said that the school was delighted with the outcome.
“There has been a very positive buzz around the school for the last two days, as we can now start the formal planning towards making those fantastic changes to improve our facilities,” he said.
Building work was likely to start in the spring, phased over two years. Ten per cent of the cost will be met by the school and 90 per cent by the church diocese.
“We have some funding in place already, but will be looking to raise around £25,000 over the coming year.”
Mr Shelton, who was at the Basingstoke planning meeting with the school’s chairman of governors Colin Bonner, said that the new cedar-clad classrooms would be unobtrusive at the rear of the school.
He said that the school’s last Ofsted report (2010) had a ‘Good’ rating, but facilities were letting pupils down.
“All we are asking for today is the opportunity to develop our buildings to the higher standard we aspire to for our children – 21st-century facilities for a 21st-century education,” he said.
There had been concern among some villagers that the new facilities would cause traffic congestion, but Mr Shelton said that traffic was an issue for around only 20 minutes every morning, and half-an-hour in the afternoon during term time, with some 77 families making around 60 to 65 car movements on a typical day. Car sharing and a walk-to- school scheme, overseen by school staff and parents, were being encouraged, he added.
Those with objections to the application were represented by Donald MacKinnon, who has lived in the village all his life and is the parent of a former pupil at the school. Mr MacKinnon said that pupil numbers – 60 per cent of which come from outside the school’s official catchment area – had risen from 83 to 120, since 2002, increasing traffic problems in the narrow lane outside the school.
“Lorries get stuck, tractors can’t pass, residents’ drives get blocked and even the school’s own bus can’t turn around,” said Mr MacKinnon.
A total 16 letters of objection and 15 letters in support had been received in respect of the application.
Borough councillors voted by a substantial majority in favour of the proposals, for which planning officers had also recommended approval.
One of the new classrooms will replace the current reception classroom and the other will allow for the reinstatement of the school library and a study room, both temporarily converted to small classrooms. Additional toilets and a special needs office are included in plans.