School allowed to expand despite objections
Waverley Junior Academy can add a two-storey extension
- Published
A primary school built to serve a new housing development will be allowed to expand after 73 children were left without places.
Waverley Junior Academy in Rotherham is to get a two-storey extension only four years after it opened.
The plans were approved by Rotherham Council on Thursday despite objections from people living nearby, who claimed the school's expansion would cause extra traffic and could devalue their homes.
The school opened in 2020 as part of the regeneration of the former Orgreave Colliery and Coking Works site.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, parents said 27 children did not get a place at the school in 2022 and 46 new starters had been turned away for the next academic year.
The scheme will include three new classrooms on each floor.
A separate extension on the east of the building will include a new nursery room, staff office and a larger entrance, while the current nursery will be used as a reception classroom.
Once the project is complete, the school will be able to accommodate 675 pupils – 175 more than its current capacity - with a further 14 staff.
Council planning officer Robert Morrell said that without the extension, Waverley families were having to travel to schools further away.
The parish council said its members supported the expansion, but asked for improvements to roads around the school.
Residents also submitted concerns about parking, noise and pollution.
One member of the public said that the extension would "obstruct the picturesque views" from their home, and another said it would "devalue their property".
Letters of support were also sent to the council, stating that the extra places were "much needed".
Planning officers added that the school had an active travel plan in place to reduce the reliance on cars for staff and pupils.
They also clarified that the roads around the school were unadopted and not within the council’s responsibility, so it had no power to enforce parking restrictions.
The plans were approved unanimously by the planning board.
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