DOZENS of people attended a presentation on Portland to view plans for the island’s new £8.58million primary school.

Residents described plans for the Chesil Cove Federation Primary School as ‘exciting’ and ‘impressive’.

They quizzed members of the project design team and viewed artists’ impressions of the building at yesterday’s public consultation at the Masonic Hall in Victoria Square.

It followed a private exhibition for pupils’ parents, governors and teachers on Thursday.

The new federation school, based on land near Castle Road, will replace the existing Brackenbury Infant Schools and Nursery and Underhill Junior School and has been described as the first phase of the Portland Academy.

Project architect Ian Cardy said: “It was a good challenge, having to re-site and redesign a brand new school for two existing schools.

“It was a fantastic site to work on and fantastic clients because the schools have been very proactive and involved.

“We had a proper engagement process all the way through the project.”

He added: “There’s a big sustainability angle to the new school, including a reduced carbon footprint in construction, a vitality roof garden for wildlife, heated flooring, a biomass boiler and natural ventilation.”

The new Dorset County Council-funded school is due to open in Easter 2013 because Mr Cardy said it would ‘not be feasible for children to have to go through security checks every day during the 2012 Olympic sailing events.’ Planning permission is being sought to extend Lerret Road for Portland Port vehicles to free up Castle Road for school traffic.

The school will cater for 315 pupils and have a 26-place nursery, sited on land leased to the council by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

Jackie Groves, head of schools organisation for Dorset, thanked SWRDA for ‘making it all possible’.

She said: “It’s a large investment and a commitment to raising standards and giving the children the best facilities on the island.”

Parents Georgina Bacon, 33, of Easton, Sam Wilson, 34, of Fortuneswell and Nikki Fryer, 42, of Fortuneswell, welcomed the plans.

Mrs Fryer said: “It’s really exciting, the biggest thing is all the green areas and courtyard space because at the moment Underhill doesn’t has much space at all.”

Portland historian Stuart Morris said it was ‘an improvement on the old oil tanks that were there before.’ He added: “I hope this gives a spurt to the revitalisation of Fortuneswell and Victoria Square.”