Building work to start on primary school extension

A stalled extension to a Staffordshire school will finally get under way within weeks.

Two new classrooms, toilets and extra car parking will be created at Etching Hill Primary School under plans lodged with Cannock Chase Council.

Plans are out to tender and project architect David Priest said that work is likely to start in February or March. A dated mobile building which has been on site since the early 1970s will be torn down, creating five new parking spaces, easing congestion around the school.

The work was due to start in September but was stalled when it was decided to slightly adapt the plans and move the new building over by a few feet.

Mr Priest said the contractors would need to be on the school site as soon as possible and work is likely to begin in the next few weeks.

The new single storey building is planned to be 66ft long, 28ft wide, and 15ft high.

The current school, built in 1973, is partly two storey and, according to documents, sent to Cannock Chase Council, the new building will contrast with the existing structure.

The plans state: "The new building will contrast with the existing in that it will have a pitched roof with grey coloured standing seam metal finish and the walls will be clad in western red cedar or Siberian larch timber planks."

The school, in Penk Drive North, wants to use some of the new building to form a new play area, which will be looked at during a later date.