A primary school’s 20-year wait to move into its “trailblazing” new building is finally over.

Rosherville Church of England Academy has won approval for its bid to move to a new site at the Cable Wharf Development in Northfleet.

An expansion and relocation has been on the cards for decades and will see the school, which currently has 141 youngsters aged four to 11, add nearly an extra 100 pupils.

When the new site opens in September 2025 it will keep its name and welcome children from the new housing development - increasing its numbers by more than 70% to 240 pupils.

Rosherville is one of 12 schools run by the Aletheia Academies Trust, with soon-to-be open Alkerden Church of England all-through school in Ebbsfleet also joining its ranks when it opens as a four-form entry in September 2025.

A consultation was carried out in November where the public were given the chance to give their views on the new facility before a now-approved planning application was submitted to Gravesham council.

Its £10 million expansion will feature a two-storey building, a two-court multi-use games area, a 3G artificial grass football pitch, playing fields and a playground.

The building will include a school hall and a science laboratory, which can also be used by the wider community.

Alongside this will be new sensory planting, trees and a green roof to enhance biodiversity across the plot.

The proposed building has been designed in accordance with the Department for Education’s latest requirements for new schools to achieve net zero carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, a 26-place nursery and 15 special educational needs pupils will also form part of the provision.

Chief executive of Aletheia Academies Trust, Steve Carey, who took over the running of the school in 2018, said previously: “We are especially excited to be including a specialist science lab as it is not often primary school pupils get to use a fully-fitted science lab.

“We always wanted it to be very inclusive of the whole community.

“This is an expansion and relocation of an existing school - it is not a brand new school.

“The idea is to create a great opportunity to bring the two communities together – the existing Rosherville community and the new community to create one community".

Co-chairwoman of governors Emma Bonner and daughter Demi, a pupil in Year 5, were equally excited about the plans.

Demi said: “I’m looking forward to it being a bigger school. I like the idea of the big football pitches and the science lab.

“It’s also exciting that it is on two floors and having a lift is important for people in wheelchairs.”

She is also excited about having more pupils in her class.

“I’ll have more choice of friends,” she added.

Mum Emma was keen the new school is inclusive of pupils from Rosherville’s existing catchment area, as well as welcoming pupils from the new development.

“It is important the existing community around the current school is welcomed as much as the new pupils,” she added.

The school, rated good by Ofsted in September 2022 for the first time since opening nearly six years ago, will be delivered directly by Kent County Council (KCC).

It comes after the land was awarded to the local authority as part of the Cable Wharf housing developer's section 106 contributions.

KCC says the scheme will provide additional primary provision in the expanding area, and will also allow it to replace the existing buildings at Rosherville which have been deemed no longer fit for purpose.

The school is being brought forward alongside the development of the new Cable Wharf neighbourhood, delivered by housing developer Keepmoat Homes.

It forms part of the Ebbsfleet Garden City scheme and includes 598 new properties.

Once complete, the project will feature shops, cafés and amenities, plus Italian gardens and a riverside promenade.