New building at Francis Baily Primary School in Thatcham will replace current dilapidated structure

A primary school in Thatcham has been given the go ahead for the construction of a new school building in place of one that is old and dilapidated.

Francis Baily Primary School, on Skillman Drive, has also received approval – from West Berkshire Council – for the erection of three temporary teaching blocks and three temporary toilet blocks.

These temporary structures will be constructed to facilitate the demolition and build of the new school building.

An application from Francis Baily had been submitted to and approved by the Department for Education to provide funding for the demolition and construction of the new block.

However the funding does not allow for the additional costs associated with achieving a BREEAM (sustainability certificate) status.

A planning application was submitted to West Berkshire Council in November last year but went back and forth with Thatcham Town Council (TTC).

Firstly the town council objected on the basis of insufficient information in the Design and Access Statement and in the plan on the zero-carbon performance of the proposed new building.

After receiving more details from the school, the council maintained its objection on the grounds that it wasn’t provided with “the information it had been seeking” in regards to the zero-carbon performance.

The town council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has since sought to lead by example in driving the town into becoming more sustainable.

On behalf of TTC, councillor Simon Pike said: “In normal circumstances the planning and highways committee would support a full application.

“However Thatcham Town Council has declared a climate emergency and the council seeks to ensure that the proposed development meets the best practise for environmental performance.”

But in a West Berkshire Council Eastern Area Planning Committee, on July 5, the plans were given the go ahead.

“We have to face reality,” councillor Jeremy Cottam (Lib Dem, Thatcham North East) told the chamber.

He said that as long as TTC was continually thriving and aiming high in regards to climate issues then this application could be an exception.

Councillor Justin Pemberton (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) added: “I attended a site visit and I saw the existing building and it is clearly not fit for purpose.

“We heard stories of children having to conduct some lessons in the cloakroom in the entrance to the toilet when rooms can’t be used and can’t be accessed.

“This building needs to be replaced and I think we should be approving this application with urgency.”

TTC has also raised its predicament with Newbury MP Laura Farris who has reached out to the Department for Education in order to seek the Government’s considered position.