New extension for Ross-on-Wye school approved

A planned new extension at a Herefordshire primary school has been given the go-ahead.

Ashfield Park Primary School in Ross-on-Wye said in its planning application that its current, “small” reception area can only be reached by crossing the school playground, and does not have a view of the entrance gate – both of which “have safeguarding implications”.

The proposed single-storey extension, with a fence leading to a secure reception area, would overcome these issues, while also providing an accessible meeting room for parents, it said.

Meanwhile the vacated office space and reception area “could then be repurposed into additional breakout rooms for the children, and a potential wet room/physio room established”.

The plan had the support of the town council, and no individuals objected.

Planning officer Joshua Evans concluded that, being of matching materials to the existing building, the new section “would be views as a natural extension” to it, and would have “no adverse impact upon the landscape, nor the character of the area”.

A condition of the approval is that “compensatory planting” must be included, given the loss of two trees, a maple and a lime, to the development.