Peterborough school to expand its capacity by building new nursery

The Peterborough School has had its plans for a new nursery building approved.

In June, the independent school applied for planning permission for an eight bay modular nursery building on the site of the car park close to the existing nursery.

The new building will provide an increase in the provision the school is able to provide and will cater to children between two and two-and-a-half years old. It will be able to accommodate 24 children but this capacity is not expected to be hit until between three and five years’ time.

Documents state that either one to two new staff will be taken on, which will be expended up to four or five in five years’ time.

The nursery at the school currently accommodates 57 children, from the age of six weeks to five-years-old, and has 21 staff.

Plans have been approved despite the objection of a city council observation officer- who raised concerns about the impact of the new development on its surroundings.

The documents describe the modular building as lightweight and easy to move but designed to be a permanent structure.

The school is located within the grounds of former Westwood House- a Grade II Listed building on Thorpe Road.

The objection stated: “There is no objection to the principal of development. There is, however, a concern regarding the character.

“The existing entrance is historic, formal and of positive character. The temporary buildings will be one of the first buildings you appreciate when accessing and traversing through the site towards the host Listed Building.

"The flat-roofed proposal with timber boarding is not considered to be a design which is positive or will have a positive relationship with the adjacent building.

“As such a more permanent design is required.”

Plans were then redrawn to include a new line of bushes, partially screening the buildings from sight but objection remained.

These amended plans were approved though and can be viewed on the city council’s planning portal using reference 22/00778/FUL.

The Peterborough School is an independent day school for both boys and girls from nursery to sixth form age and is a member of the Woodward group; which is the largest collection of Church of England schools in England and Wales.