Chard 'highly likely' to lose playing fields to new school

The Chard eastern development area (CEDA), which lies between the A358 Tatworth Road and the A30 Crewkerne Road, was originally earmarked to deliver at least 2,700 new homes, along with 17 hectares of employment land and two new primary schools.

Following delays in new homes being delivered (partially due to the ongoing phosphates crisis), the council stated in mid-September that it would be delivering a new primary school next to the existing secondary school on Zembard Lane, close to the town centre.

The council has now confirmed it is "highly likely" that this primary school will be built on the existing playing fields, and is expected to open by 2028.

Chard has recently seen the completion of the Blackdown Heights housing development (comprising 142 homes on Crimchard), with the Snowdon Grange development on the A358 Tatworth Road (comprising 200 homes) being in "the final stages of construction".

Nearly 1,000 new homes are expended to be built across the town in the next ten years - creating the need for nearly 300 primary school places by 2028, which cannot be accommodated in the existing three primary schools (Avishayes, Manor Court and Redstart).

The new school will initially have enough space for 210 pupils and a 40-place nursery, and will be designed in such a way that it can be expanded in the years after its completion as pupil numbers grow – much like the recently delivered Orchard Grove Primary School in Taunton.

Having previously confirmed that the school would not be delivered on Chard Town Football Club's existing ground on Zembard Lane, Somerset Council has now clarified that some or all of the existing Holyrood playing fields will be lost to bring the school forward.

A spokesperson said: "We can confirm there will be a new building for primary age pupils.

"There are a number of location options available to us, but we can confirm that its siting is highly likely to be on the existing playing fields.

"This will be one of the first discussions with our selected contractor and the Blackdown Education Partnership."

Of the £7,750,000 set aside for the school, £1,880,000 has already been secured from contributions from local housing developers.

The remaining £5,870,000 will be initially funded through external borrowing, with the funds being recouped from future housing developments - such as the development of 236 homes on the A358 Tatworth Road, which will also deliver the first phase of the long-awaited eastern relief road (ERR).

Julia Balmford, a senior officer within the council's education places strategy team, said in her written report: "The refurbishment of the lower site at Holyrood and re-build of secondary provision was considered.

"The feasibility study clearly identified that a new-build primary school was the cheapest and preferred option, delivering the lowest cost per pupil and the most suitable spaces for students."