PARISH councillors in Stawley have backed a phased plan to demolish and rebuild the village school.

Somerset Council wants to secure the school’s long-term future by developing a new two-class primary school on the 1.1-acre site at Appley Cross, near Wellington.

It is proposing to redevelop in stages the existing cluster of temporary buildings and covered areas which have outlived their design life.

The new school will be built around the existing hall, which was constructed in 2016, with teaching on the campus continuing to take place throughout the development.

Stawley Primary School site outlined in red. IMAGE: LED Architects.
Stawley Primary School site outlined in red. IMAGE: LED Architects. ( )

Planning agent Phil Abraham said the design of the new school would allow a third classroom to be added if pupil numbers rose.

The 60-pupil Stawley Primary School is one of the top performers across Somerset under headteacher Jacqui Collier.

The parish council has written to the unitary authority to support the scheme, but has asked for thought to be given to resolving traffic issues around the school.

Parish clerk Paul Musgrove said the school car park could only take about six visitors’ vehicles and was on a single track lane.

Mr Musgrove said: “Efforts have been made in the past to provide a larger car park with no result.

A 3D sketch of the proposed new front entrance to Stawley School. IMAGE: LED Architects.
A 3D sketch of the proposed new front entrance to Stawley School. IMAGE: LED Architects. ( )

“The parish council considers it important that a sustainable transport review is undertaken and parents are encouraged to make alternative arrangements to reduce the level of parking outside the gate of the school.”

Somerset highways officers said they did not have any objections to the plans because there would not be any extra staff and therefore no intensification in traffic.

However, neighbour Alec Medlycott said he regularly saw bottlenecks around the crossroads and village shop and Post Office, particularly during school run times, made worse by tractors and farm lorries, which sometimes led to ‘heated exchanges’.

Mr Medlycott said he supported the rebuilding plans but could see that it would lead to more traffic adding to congestion during the construction period.

He suggested Somerset Council should try to have a contractors’ car park and storage area constructed in a nearby farmer’s field and/or rent parking spaces in Appley Cricket Pavilion, which was about 330 yards away.