‘Urgent’ moves to provide temporary classrooms in Telford as new school hit by delays
Moves are being made to provide ‘urgently needed’ temporary classrooms for 150 children in Priorslee following delays in the building of a new primary school.
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A planning application has been lodged with Telford & Wrekin Council on behalf of the Department for Education to site a temporary two storey block on the car park at the site of Thomas Telford Primary School.
“The permanent school was anticipated to open in September 2025,” say documents lodged with the council by Reds10 (UK) Ltd on behalf of the Department for Education.
“However, due to delays in the programme, the permanent school cannot be delivered for this time, therefore, to meet the need for primary school places, temporary classrooms are required on the site from September 2025.”
The application also states that there is a “significant and urgent need for new primary school places in Telford.
“The siting of these temporary classrooms will, therefore, mitigate further delays and provide the much-needed places ahead of the 2026 opening of the permanent school.”
The £4.75 million school is planned to be in the centre of a major housing development off Castle Farm Way, where more than 1,000 new homes will eventually be built.
The temporary building should accommodate 150 pupils, plus 17 full-time staff and three part-time catering/lunchtime staff, across 542 sqm. of floorspace, providing eight “teaching spaces”, toilets, group rooms and staff offices.
Planning documents reveal that the opening of the new school has been put back to 2026.
“The the new primary school was to provide an additional 420 places by September 2024.
“However, due to scheme delays, this has not been the case,” the documents say.
The temporary school building will be located on the approved car park and will be installed using grey microrib cladding.
A Multi Use Games Area is also planned to be constructed prior to the occupation of the temporary buildings to “ensure there is adequate play space for pupils during the temporary phase.”
The application documents also say that “engagement” is ongoing with the developer of the new housing part of the site, Miller Homes, to establish whether there is any potential for additional supplementary parking to during the temporary period.
But at the time the application was submitted no suitable alternatives (for parking) have been have been identified.
They are therefore proposing staggering pupil drop off and collection periods to “maximise the efficiency” of the drop-off process.
“The proposed development would not compromise the delivery of the permanent school building and would meet an immediate and significant need to provide primary school places by September 2025,” the report adds.
