ILMINSTER is having its say on plans to expand the town’s first school with some calling for a senior school or a swimming pool.

A consultation period for the Greenfylde School expansion plans started last week and the deadline for comments is March 31.

The proposals would see the school move to land near Canal Way. The current 12 classes would increase to 15 classes, which would allow the number of children to increase from 380 to 450, if the plans are approved.

A drop-in session is being held at the school today, (Wednesday, March 8) between 3pm- and 6.30pm.

Valerie Rowland, an Ilminster resident, said: “Greenfylde School should definitely be expanded to accommodate the children in the area. If the council can afford it now then, why not? The cost will only go up over the years.

“The area will benefit from the growing child population. It can only be a good thing.”

However, Another resident, Lynn Davis took to social media to say the plans are “a blow for the town centre shops with less parents popping in during school run.”

A number of residents have called for the new site to home a senior school, as teenagers currently have to travel out of the town to go to secondary school.

The plans have been unveiled as the town is set to expand in the coming years, with two planning applications in at Canal Way and at Shudrick Valley for 670 homes in total.

Cllr Rob Drayton, from Ilminster Town Council, said: “Unfortunately, despite having three senior schools up until 1971, the town now does not have enough senior age children to come anywhere near providing the necessity for a senior school in the town, and the proposed developments would not make it necessary either.

“There is an opportunity here for the town to have a new first school and how about the swimming pool contingent in the town pushing for any new Greenfylde to have a dual use pool?

“The existing school has a pool so why not push for the proposed new one to have a pool? Pools are too expensive to provide and run as a separate facility for the town and a public pool is always a favourite when the town is asked what they would like provided.”

Cllr Frances Nicholson, Somerset County Council’s cabinet member for children and families, said: “Our plan to expand Greenfylde First School reflects our determination to meet the needs of this growing town and provide school places for all Somerset children.

“I hope that parents and the rest of the school community will be excited by these proposals. I also hope that as many parents as possible will take the opportunity of our drop-in session at parents’ evening on March 8 to have their say on the proposals.”

Mark Walker, head teacher of Swanmead Community School, a middle school which takes pupils from Greenfylde, said: “If the new proposed plans go ahead then it is always quite difficult to judge how many new school places will be required.

“However, in terms of Swanmead, we have met with members of the Local Authority before prior to Christmas in order to begin to consider planning for this.

“First and foremost we have the initial capacity to take on a further 40 to 50 young people, following this we also have the site space to allow for expansion if necessary.

“Crucial with regard to this situation is continuing to work closely with Greenfylde in order to ensure that decisions about schools in the town best advantage all Ilminster’s children.”

Views on the planned school expansion can be shared online at www.somersetconsults.org.uk/consult.ti/GreenfyldeFirstSchool.