A NEW primary school for Andover was approved by Hampshire’s county councillors this week.

Planning permission was granted for a new two form-entry single-storey primary school with associated car parking and external works at East Anton Major Development Area (MDA).

The MDA site is located to the east of Icknield Way and is divided by Smannell Road which separates the site into a northern and southern section.

The school is set to be located within the southern part of the MDA and would occupy an area of 2.8 hectares.

The primary school would have a 420 pupil capacity (aged four-11 years) and lies approximately 800 metres south of Endeavour Primary School, which was constructed in 2011 to serve the northern half of the MDA.

County Councillor Tim Rolt said: “I think it’s a good thing.

“If you have got 2,500 houses there you have got to build the school to cater for them.

“It’s going to be a high quality school, they have held an exhibition to show what is to be expected.”

The school forms part of the council’s Primary School Programme.

It would include 45 staff at the site comprising of 20 teaching staff members and 25 non-teaching staff members.

It is anticipated that the total number of pupils would build gradually once the school opens in September 2017 with an initial intake of up to 120 pupils, rising to 210 in September 2018 before finally reaching full capacity of 420 between years four to seven (September 2020 to September 2023).

The principle of a school in the proposed location was considered as part of the Outline Planning Consent granted for the MDA site by Test Valley Borough Council.

The plans also include landscape infrastructure such as woodland, wildflower and meadow habitats, sustainable drainage solutions, ornamental and sensory planting as well as hedgerow and substantial tree planting.