Council commits £4.8m to create 300 new high school places

The school currently has capacity for 900 students aged 11-16, but Suffolk County Council, which is responsible for education provision, estimates an additional 300 places are required in the next four years.

The council’s cabinet approved £4.83m of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) towards an expansion project. 

The CIL award was one of a number agreed, along with funds for a new play area in Thorndon and replacing play equipment in Coddenham.

CIL funding is paid by developers building homes within the district, which the council then reinvests in eligible infrastructure projects. 

Cllr Andrew Stringer, Mid Suffolk District Council’s Cabinet member for Heritage, Planning and Infrastructure, said: “We recognise that there is a need for more school places in the area and this funding will be critical to delivering some of them.

“It will make a huge difference to hundreds of students and their families in the coming years.

“However, this is only part of the picture - we also want to make sure there is funding there for other schools in future when they need to expand.”

The total cost of the Stowmarket High School expansion is around £10m. In addition to the CIL funding, this figure would be met with £3.55m from Section 106 funds, and £1.6m from Suffolk County Council. 

The project is being jointly developed by Suffolk County Council and the Kingfisher Schools Trust, and Suffolk County Council made the bid for CIL funding from Mid Suffolk District Council.

It will create a new standalone classroom block and allow internal modification work to existing school buildings.

The new block would include a hall, up to 11 classrooms with storage, staff and administration areas, pupil and staff toilets. The former sixth form block would be reconfigured into providing two music classrooms, five practice rooms and storage areas.

Proposals for the ground floor of the main school building include expanding the current kitchen area, remodelling the hall into an additional dining hall and drama classroom.

The school was previously rebuilt by the Department for Education, reopening in 2022 – although this was smaller than it was originally. 

The project aims to deliver an additional 300 places with 200 being needed in 2026 with the remaining 100 places being required by 2029.

Mid Suffolk’s Cabinet also agreed CIL funding for a number of other projects.

These included £93,056 to upgrade the Fen View play area in Thorndon and £55,066 for the replacement of the Coddenham recreation ground play equipment.

Cllr Stringer said: “These projects are great examples of how CIL funding can be used to improve existing infrastructure and create lasting benefits in our district.”

Further information about how CIL works can be found on the council’s website at www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/community-infrastructure-levy