£60m spend on new school justified - councillor

Artists' impression of what the school might look like once complete

Plans to continue funding a new secondary school costing almost £60m is in the "interest of existing and future pupils", a councillor has said.

A 600-place school for Worcester is now set to open in 2028 after the county council admitted the project was "taking longer than expected" during its full council meeting.

The capital budget for the new school was revealed by a report approved by the council's cabinet in April - increasing by £12.5m.

Existing city schools are expected to provide additional Year 7 places until the school, set to be built off Newton Road, opens.

Up until last year, Worcestershire County Council said the school was on track to open in 2026.

An additional £9.9m to build the school has now been approved, with members also agreeing a further £2.6m to help accommodate additional pupils at existing Worcester secondary schools.

Councillor Richard Udall said: “I wonder if the cabinet and the leader have given thought to an alternative site in Worcester could be cheaper than the chosen site.”

Council leader Simon Geraghty admitted the project was “taking longer than expected”.

“Obviously it’s important that we deliver value for money. We absolutely require a new secondary school for Worcester, so where is the growth and development in Worcester?

“It is in that region close to Warndon villages and eventually the plans for the Parkway development, which in time might need its own secondary school, but would be within the catchment of this school.

“We’ve already expended £4m to get to this point and I believe it’s in the interest of existing and future pupils that we continue to fund this.”

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