New eco-friendly school planned for Basingstoke
Planning permission would be granted at the next regulatory committee, which will take place on Wednesday (September 13).
Plans for the new £14.5 million eco-friendly school in Basingstoke has been recommended for approval.
Hampshire County Council plans to open the Hounsome Fields Primary School in September 2025, admitting up to 30 children in Year R. It will provide up to 420 pupils between 4 and 11 years old with eight special needs places in Basingstoke.
The school has been designed to allow a future expansion of up to 630 pupil places, but this will be subject to future demand and capital funding.
The Executive Member for Education, Councillor Steve Forster, said:
“These plans will help us to lead the way in creating education buildings for the future, not only to serve the needs of Hampshire’s children but also to support and protect the environment for years to come.”
The new school will be a Climate Change Primary School Pilot project and has been assessed against the county council’s climate change targets of being carbon neutral by 2050, designed to be resilient to overheating and flooding.
The school will be located on land within the 750-home Hounsome Fields development on A30 Winchester Road, opposite the golf course development where 1,000 homes are being built.
An academy trust has not yet been appointed to manage the school. Once completed, the council anticipates that 47 staff members will be employed, including 19 teachers.
The application states that the proposed building includes 14 classrooms, a music and drama studio, three group rooms, a library, informal play areas, a staff car park with 40 bays, and two playing fields, amongst other facilities.