Plans submitted for new Telford primary school with space for 420 pupils

The new Thomas Telford Primary Free School in Priorslee will also cater for 26 nursery-aged children.

The two-storey building is proposed to be in the middle of Miller Homes East Priorslee residential development on Castle Farm Way.

Contractor REDS10 has submitted the plans to Telford & Wrekin Council on behalf of the Department for Education. The school will be a part of Thomas Telford Multi-Academy Trust (TTMAT).

“The new school building will provide modern internal and external facilities to support a high quality learning environment which will be grounded in nature and net zero carbon in operation,” said the applicant.

“There is anticipation that the new school will deliver a rich and broad curriculum. The Trust will encourage pupils to support a sustainable approach and wishes to introduce biophilic elements into the school landscape design to promote outdoor learning.”

Also included in the plans are three sports pitches, a multi-use game area (MUGA), dedicated car park and pupil drop off zone.

A rain garden and habitat area are incorporated ‘to support outdoor learning’. Pedestrian access to the school will be via points in three separate locations which the applicant says will ‘support sustainable travel’.

The ground floor of the building is proposed to include a main school hall, activity studio, kitchen and servery.

There is also proposed to be a nursery, classrooms, group rooms and plant rooms on the ground floor.

On the first floor is proposed to be classrooms for the older children aged seven to 11, shared teaching areas, a practical classroom (kitchenettes) and a library.

The school’s roof is proposed to incorporate a ‘biodiverse selection’ of plants that will grow both around and in the shaded areas beneath roof mounted solar panels.

Solar canopies will also provide shelter and shade to a teaching area within the school site.

Planting is also planned ‘wherever possible’ around the new school site, which the applicant says will ‘improve air quality and improve site cooling of larger paved areas’.

The applicant says that existing hedgerow and trees on the site will offer ‘green acoustic screening of noise from playground areas as well as improving air quality’.

Plans also include storage for 95 bicycles and spaces for a further 25 bicycles alongside the MUGA.

“The building has been designed using a palette of materials which reflect the Trust’s desire for a building which is grounded in nature using earthy brown and green tones along with brick,” the application’s design and access statement said.

“Due to the topography of the site, it has been necessary to create an upper and lower plateau with the playing fields located at the upper level and the school building at the lower level.

“As a result, the school building will sit down in the landscape with a full storey being hidden from sight when viewing from the north west and south west. The creation of a landscaped slope between the upper and lower plateaus will also provide a pleasant backdrop for the school building when viewed from the north.”

The school site is currently a greenfield site comprised of former open grassland between Castle Farm Way and the A5.

There will be a single vehicle access to the site located on the eastern corner a road currently under construction.

To create the plans the applicant has worked with council planning officers and a public consultation event was held at Redhill Primary School in July.

Plans can be viewed on the Telford & Wrekin Council planning portal on its website, application number TWC/2023/0851. Comments can be made during the consultation phase which ends on December 7.