Work to begin on new school at Wellingborough's Stanton Cross development

Construction work for a new Wellingborough primary school at the town's £1bn Stanton Cross development will get under way this summer.

A bid to build the school, in Irthlingborough Road, was approved by Wellingborough Council earlier this year.

It will eventually welcome 420 pupils between the ages of four and 11, with the first intake expected in September 2022. The two-storey building will include classrooms, a main hall and kitchen. The school will also feature a playground and soft play area, as well as a dedicated children’s centre for younger pupils.

Almost 300 homes are now occupied at Stanton Cross, which will eventually have 3,650 new houses as well as leisure and retail amenities, offices, industrial space and a trade park.

Lee Barrett, divisional operations director for Vistry Group and a representative of Stanton Cross Developments LLP, promoters of the Stanton Cross project, said: “We are all thrilled that the planning application for the new primary school has been given the green light by Wellingborough Council and we look forward to seeing this key element of the new Stanton Cross community taking shape later this year.

"Almost 300 new homes are now occupied at Stanton Cross and the school will be a welcomed and important facility for local families.”

Stephen Clayton, head of pre-construction at principal contractor The McAvoy Group, said their use of off-site construction means they can complete the building sooner 'without sacrificing design or quality'.

He said: "It will be a fantastic primary school and we look forward to getting started on-site.”