School's £350,000 transformation plan approved by council

A school for pupils with "severe or complex needs" has been given the go-ahead to transform one of its three sites.

Plans have been approved to demolish one of the buildings at the New Forest School site, on Lunedale Road in Dibden Purlieu, and replace it with specialist facilities.

The educational establishment was rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted following an inspection carried out in 2022.

The new complex will occupy the same site as its predecessor, plus some of the land currently used as a playground.

A temporary building at the school in Lunedale Road, Dibden Purlieu, is set to be replaced by specialist facilities (Image: Newsquest)

New Forest School is run by New Forest Care, which says work on the £350,000 scheme is due to start next Easter.

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The application said: "New Forest Care provides important, bespoke education facilities for those for whom mainstream education may not be appropriate for a variety of reasons.

"The proposed building will provide improved facilities and specialist classrooms for Design and Technology and IT to complement the existing classrooms in the main building.

"There will not be an increase in the number of students as a result of the construction.

"The building has a larger footprint than the building it will replace but is smaller than the main building. There is sufficient land to accommodate the new structure and retain a generous tarmac play area for students.

"Care has been taken to design a structure that will complement the character of the area whilst meeting the practical needs of the school."

The proposed new building will occupy part of a site currently used as the school playground (Image: Newsquest)

A district council report said the new building would be "visually prominent" but added: "The site would retain a relatively open and spacious appearance within the context of the surrounding street scene."

Summing up, the report said the scheme would improve an existing educational facility and would not harm the character or amenities of the surrounding area.

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New Forest School caters for children with severe or complex needs arising from life trauma, Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC), attachment disorder, or a phobia of education.

A spokesperson said: "Although we achieved outstanding in all areas at our Ofsted inspection in 2022, we continue to raise the bar higher and give our students every opportunity to succeed.

Mark Fry, director of education, added: "We are continually reviewing how we can better meet the needs of our students.

"The development, together with the new school we are building at our Outdoor Learning Centre at Romsey, will provide us with the flexibility and tailored environment to do this."