A NEW £8.5million school is set to go ahead on Osprey Quay on Portland.

Dorset County Council’s planning committee gave the green light for the Chesil Cove Federation School.

It will replace the existing Brackenbury Infant School and Underhill Junior School.

Neil McDermott, who is head of the two schools, described the decision as fantastic news and said it would be a boost to education on the island.

The state-of-the-art school, which will be located off Castle Road, will cater for 315 pupils.

It will also have a 26-place day nursery and form part of the Portland Academy plans to transform education on the island.

Councillors approved the scheme despite concerns raised by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council about potential pollution and traffic congestion on the site.

Senior planning officer Chris Stokes said that the location, which was exposed to strong winds and on a steep slope, had posed a number of problems.

But he said that architects had come up with a strong design that addressed the issues they faced.

He said: “Despite the problems on the site we feel this provides a strong design in an appropriate location.”

Committee members had little hesitation in approving the plans, subject to a number of planning conditions.

Coun Alex Brenton said: “It’s nice to see such an interesting design.”

After hearing that the planning application had been approved, Mr McDermott said: “It’s fantastic news for the children and gives us the opportunity to look forward to bringing both schools together onto one site.

“The effect that will have for the children is a greater consistency of education provision from the age of three right the way through to 11.”

Mr McDermott said the location of the school next to the Officers Field would give the school more indoor facilities and the modern design would also lead to vastly improved indoor facilities.

He added: “It’s a huge thing for the children.

“It will be a state-of-the-art building which will be the envy of other Dorset schools.

“It’s a positive thing for us all, all the staff and children are really excited about it.”

He said they expected to move into the new building after the Olympics, possibly at the beginning of 2013.