A NEW first school for Puddletown is in sight after a seven-year wait.

Councillors approved plans for the new Puddletown First School on land to the west of the village’s middle school.

The planning application had gone before Dorset County Council’s planning committee in March but a decision was deferred after local residents raised concerns about road safety and parking provision.

The committee has now approved an amended scheme that includes a number of road calming measures and a drop-off point for parents outside the school.

The council’s highways department has also agreed to monitor the area when the new school is up and running to see if a school crossing is required.

The new first school will accommodate 150 pupils and will also include a 26-place pre-school.

Headteacher of the school Daniel Hunwick told the committee that the new school – which had been on the agenda for seven years – was a desperately needed facility for youngsters in the village, with 80 per cent of existing pupils currently based in temporary classroom accommodation.

He said: “It is my hope that the new building will not just be a superb environment for children’s learning but also a fantastic facility that can serve the community well.”

Mr Hunwick added that he hoped the amendments made to the plans would address many of the concerns raised by local residents and vowed to work with them to manage any situations.

Chairman of the school’s governing body Barry Shorto also stressed the need for a new school.

He said: “We have had a long wait and staff and pupils have had to work in a school built in the 19th Century and designed to accommodate pupil numbers one third of the present number.

“We need to build a school fit for the 21st Century, fit for the pupils of today and fit for the future.”

Several local residents raised concerns that the amended plans still did not go far enough in addressing the road safety concerns, however members of the committee agreed to approve the application.

After the meeting Mr Hunwick said he was delighted the plans had been approved and thanked all the parents who had supported the application.

He said: “We are really looking forward to moving on now and moving into our new building.”

Mr Hunwick said he hoped to see the new building in place by September or October of next year.