Nottinghamshire County Council’s Planning and Rights of Way Committee will meet to discuss a proposed extension to Chuter Ede Primary School, on Hunters Road in Fernwood.

A village primary school could see its pupil numbers double if plans for its expansion are approved by the council.

Nottinghamshire County Council’s Planning and Rights of Way Committee will meet next Tuesday (March 11) to discuss a proposed extension to Chuter Ede Primary School, on Hunters Road in Fernwood.

The plans were submitted by the authority’s own Children and Families department.

The primary school, which is an annex of Chuter Ede Primary School in Wolfit Avenue, Balderton, opened in 2012 and the expansion is sought to accommodate a growing population in Fernwood, near Newark.

In February 2024, Newark and Sherwood District Council approved Persimmon Homes’ wider plans for a 1,800-property development off Shire Lane.

Other developments by Allison Homes in the south and Barratt David Wilson Homes in the north mean the Newark village will see more than 3,000 new homes built in total across the village.

Planning papers due before the meeting next week say the school is a single-storey building, and the extensions would also be single storey.

If approved, the school’s pupil numbers would double, increasing from 210 to 420, requiring 14 extra full-time staff and seven part-time staff.

Eight classrooms would be provided from the plans, along with new sports pitches and outdoor play areas which include a running track, rounders pitch, an under-7s five-a-side football pitch and two hard PE courts.

Documents say: “The design is for a single level new wing to the existing building located within the centre of the enlarged school site and therefore no overlooking, overshadowing or overbearing impacts are expected.”

Papers add any additional noise caused by the extra sports pitches and play areas would primarily be present during the school day.

The staff car park will increase from 16 to 48, including three existing disabled spaces.

The school’s extension is expected to be completed by September 2026, with the construction expected to last a year.

Temporary access for construction workers would be provided to the north on Hunters Road, which means access through the school grounds is not needed.

The proposals are recommended for approval and will be discussed in the meeting next week.