New primary school on Waterlooville's Berewood estate set to be given the go ahead - where it will be

Hampshire County Council planners are set to discuss the long-awaited proposal next week for the Berewood South Primary School which, is approved, will be built on land east of Newlands Lane - which technically falls within the boundary of Denmead within the City of Winchester District despite its central location in Waterlooville. Initially, it would cater for 315 children, with eight Special Educational Needs resource provisions but the school has been designed to allow a future expansion to 420 pupils. The school will have eleven classes, three group rooms, a specialist practical classroom, 1 to 1 facilities, a break-out space, a kitchen and accessible toilets and a hygiene room.

An Academy Trust must still be appointed to manage the school, which is expected to have around thirty-five staff – sixteen teaching and twenty-two non-teaching staff. A total of two powered two-wheelers and thirty-one car parking spaces will be required, of which two of these parking spaces will be accessible bays. A public bus route is also proposed, with bus stops expected in reasonable proximity to the school site. Photovoltaic panels are proposed to supplement the electrical supply. The PV array will be installed on the main roof section, which has the capacity for a maximum array size of approx. 130 m2.

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It is proposed that the school site be open for staff from 7.30am until 6.30 pm, Monday to Friday, hosting before and after school activities. The breakfast club is anticipated to run from 8am, and after-school clubs until 6pm. The school will be available for community use in the evenings from 5pm until 9pm, Monday to Friday and from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Berewood South Primary School will be the second school built in the area as part of the facilities to support the ongoing housing developments being built in the west of Waterlooville. The first was the Northern School Site – now called Berewood Primary School – which was built by Hampshire County Council in 2014.

Hampshire County Council is expected to approve Berewood Southern Primary School’s planning application at its next Regulatory Committee on October 19.