Schools & Education · Calne
Decision due on Calne school expansion to boost SEND provision
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Plans to add four temporary classrooms at The Springfields Academy could be approved next week, providing space for 40 additional pupils with special educational needs.
A special school in Calne could soon expand its facilities to support dozens more children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Plans to install four new modular classrooms at The Springfields Academy on Curzon Street are set to be decided by Wiltshire Council’s Northern Area Planning Committee when it meets on Wednesday, September 16.
The academy is currently operating at full capacity and has maintained an active waiting list for places since 2020. If approved, the additional temporary units will provide space for up to 40 more pupils, focusing primarily on those with autism and communication needs.
The proposal is described in planning documents as partially retrospective, as the modular units are already largely in place on the site. Each new classroom would measure approximately 54 square metres, contributing to a total of 301 square metres of new internal floor space, which includes necessary storage and toilet facilities. The units are intended to serve as an interim measure until a permanent satellite site for the academy is established, which is currently projected to be ready between 2027 and 2028.
While the project has been welcomed by those seeking to address the urgent demand for specialist education, the planning application has prompted a mix of feedback from local residents. Concerns submitted during the consultation period have largely centred on the impact of increased traffic, staff parking, and vehicle movements involving taxis and minibuses, particularly around Springfield Drive and Curzon Park. Some residents also expressed worries regarding potential noise, lighting, and the visual impact of the new structures.
However, the project has received support from the council’s planning officers, who noted that the development makes efficient use of an existing school site. The council's highways department has also raised no objections, estimating that the expansion would generate only three to four additional vehicle movements per day. Officials concluded that ongoing congestion in the vicinity is linked to the school's existing operations rather than the new classrooms.
To facilitate the installation, four Category B trees will be removed from the school grounds. As part of the environmental conditions for approval, the council’s arboriculture team requires that 11 native trees be planted to replace them. Calne Town Council has not objected to the plans, provided that traffic is carefully managed. Should the committee grant approval, the school will be subject to strict operating conditions, including restricted activity hours between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday, and limitations on external lighting to protect the amenity of neighbouring properties.
Source: Gazette & Herald — Calne · View original