Plans for a 'long-awaited' primary school to serve a massive new housing development in Chester have been given the green light.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's planning committee rubber-stamped proposals for the new school which will serve Kings Moat Garden Village off Wrexham Road.

It will be located on the southern half of the 153-acre development – which consists of more than 1,300 properties constructed by developers Redrow and Taylor Wimpey.

The two-storey, 1.5 form entry school will be built in two phases and eventually accommodate 315 pupils and a 26-space nursery, with a prospective opening date of September, 2026.

To the southern side of the building there will also be a multi-use games area (MUGA) and two grass pitches. There is also provision for outdoor play and outdoor teaching areas as part of the layout.

The plans have been submitted by the council itself and addressing the committee, Judith Gordon from the authority's major projects team, said the school had been 'long-awaited'.

She said: "Once all phases of the surrounding housing development are complete, the school will sit at the heart of the wider development, with new homes surrounding the school and bordering on to the new community playing fields, 3G pitch and also the new public park.

"The east/west layout of the building will enable all classrooms to enjoy a sunny aspect while being equipped with solar shading, reducing direct sunlight and glare."

She said sustainability would be 'at the heart' of the design including air source heat pumps and rooftop solar panels.

Committee member Cllr Katrina Kerr was not impressed by the design, who said it 'lacked imagination' and looked like 'a brick'. She also queried the need for another school saying there were three other schools nearby.

Officers told the committee that a 'detailed calculation' had been undertaken with regards to pupil numbers, and that housing developments of more than 1,000 properties would normally require new provision.

Work got underway on Kings Moat in 2018 with hundreds of homes already built and more being constructed. 

The council projects that the 1,400 homes proposed are likely to result in approximately 300 children aged 4-11 who will require school places in the local area.

Following a vote the plans were passed unanimously by the committee.

You can read more about the plans here.