Pupils could be welcomed to Harborough's new primary school as early as next year

A proposed new primary school in Market Harborough could welcome pupils as early as next year.

The 210-place school is planned to support the huge Airfield Farm housing development being built at the edge of the town.

It set to be debated by Leicestershire County Council next Tuesday (August 22) and is recommended for approval by the planning department. If the go-ahead is given by councillors, the first pupils could begin at the start of the 2024 school year.

Pupils would join in phases, with 30 reception-aged children in the first year. As they move into Year One, a new reception class would join and this would continue until the original group of pupils reaches year six in 2030 and all year groups are full.

Planning documents state the building has been designed to be ‘extendable’, meaning the school could be expanded and increase its capacity to 420 places. It also features specialist teaching rooms and areas for children who have special educational needs.

The school would be built on land between Airfield Road and Owen Way. Harborough District Council said it was “pleased to see the application”. However, a handful of concerns were raised by would-be neighbours regarding potential congestion and safety in the surrounding roads.

A one-way system is proposed through the site, with traffic able to enter from Airfield Road and exit from Owen Way. There would be a drop-off area for parents and a 31-space car park.

But planners anticipate most pupils would live within the new estate and would walk or cycle to school. Around 20 staff are expected to be employed there.

The new school was granted outline planning permission in May 2016 as part of the wider outline approval for the up to 924-home Airfield Farm development. Shops, a hotel, healthcare facilities, allotments, sports fields and a country park were all also included and development has since begun.

The site of Airfield Farm estate was once home to a number of WWII bomber planes, and in 1943 became home to the Wellington Bombers of an RAF training unit. Flying ceased in August 1945, and it later became a British Army vehicle depot. It was turned over to agriculture when the Army left in the late 1950s.