The 420-place primary school, with early years provision, is planned for Taunton following government approval marking an important milestone in the school’s journey.
The £7.3 million primary school will be sponsored by The Castle Partnership Trust and is set to become Somerset’s first net-zero carbon school, and only the third ‘passivhaus’ school in the southwest. It will serve the Orchard Grove housing development in Comeytrowe to meet the expected demand for school spaces.
Due to start construction in Summer 2022, the delivery is planned for the start of the 2023/24 academic year. At first, the school will offer up to 30 reception places and, depending on demand, a mixed Year 1/Year 2 class from September 2023.
Councillor Clare Paul, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Public Health said: “I am pleased that our recommendation of The Castle School Partnership Trust has been approved. This paves the way for another new school for children in Somerset and it’s exciting to see plans for this to be the county’s first carbon-neutral school building. This fits squarely with the County Council’s ambitious plans to reduce Somerset’s carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030.”
