Plans approved to build 'much-needed' secondary school for 1,200 pupils near Northampton

Plans to build a secondary school for 1,200 pupils near Northampton have been given the green light by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC).

The proposal is for the construction of a new secondary school with outdoor sports facilities, access, parking, landscaping and drainage on greenfield land to the south of Moulton, off Thorpeville.

The school, which will be an eight form entry school for ages 11 to 16, aims to open in time for September 2023.

Granting planning permission was ultimately decided on two key factors: the need for a school in the area and the negative effects that extra cars will bring.

There were 104 letters of objections to the plans and only 11 letters of support.

A WNC spokesman said: "It is noted that Moulton already suffers from congestion during the day due to the existing services within the village. A number of residents are concerned that the development will exacerbate the current situation.

"The construction of a secondary school in this locality for 2023 is important, it has been demonstrated by the applicants that there are no other sites available. This carries significant weight in determining the planning application.

"Although there is conflict with the development plan with regards to the impact upon the highway network, the significant benefit of the school outweighs this harm. The benefits of the scheme justify granting permission.

"There are no available sites in the vicinity that could be developed within the tight time frame. It is considered significant weight should be given to the need for the school."

The site will be home to 191 parking spaces, 19 disabled parking bays, 45 drop off bays, three mini-bus spaces and two coach spaces.

Several sites were considered by the Department for Education (DfE), which will fund and deliver the scheme, but the 24-acre plot near Thorpeville, Moulton, was deemed the most suitable.