Dozens of new homes and school for Barns Green

Planning permission is now being sought from Horsham District Council.

The developers are Berkeley Homes and the proposed agreement, as well as the new school, also includes the provision of a fund to be administered by Itchingfield Parish Council to be used for a series of projects specifically designed to benefit the local community.

The new housing will be situated on the eastern side of Barns Green and the current proposal is for a total of 69 units. These will be made up of one bedroom flats and one, two, three, four and five bedroom houses.

In total 41 per cent of the units will have two bedrooms or less.

The school will be built on the current site of Itchingfield Primary School in the heart of Barns Green and it will become a one site school incorporating the junior school which is currently located in Itchingfield.

The two school sites currently have 100 pupils aged from 4 to 11. The new school will accommodate up to 150 pupils and will benefit from the savings to be made by operating from a single site as well as enjoying all the advantages of a brand new state of the art building and facilities.

Peter Griffiths, West Sussex Cabinet Member for Education and Schools, said: “I am delighted that after lengthy consultations and negotiations that the stage has been reached where a planning application has been submitted. It has been an excellent outcome for the school, parents and children, the community, the County and the developer working together. I am sure the new school will provide a wonderful learning environment for generations to come.”

Subject to planning permission, building work on the new school is due to commence in early summer next year with work starting on the housing complex at the same time.

It is hoped that the school will be completed by late summer 2014 in time to prepare for the new intake of pupils in September 2014. The housing development should be completed by mid-2015.