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New primary school on Rochester Riverside to open sports facilities to public after Medway Council gives plans approval

By: Matt Leclere mleclere@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 14:57, 28 May 2020

Updated: 16:47, 28 May 2020

A new school's sport facilities will be opened up to the public once construction is completed.

Plans for the 210-place primary school on the new Rochester Riverside development have been approved by council planners.

New images show how the Rochester Riverside primary school will look after Medway Council planners gave the scheme approval. Pictures: Hyde Housing/Countryside

Developers behind the state-of-the-art school say the two storey building will be home to contemporary classrooms and top range teaching areas.

A multi-use games area capable of hosting two netball courts or a seven-a-side football pitch will be opened for residents to use outside of school hours.

New images have also been released revealing how the school will look once it's opened, the date of which has not yet been confirmed.

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Alongside the sports facilities, the school will feature a grassed sports area and trim-trail, planting beds, outdoor stage for events and a habitat zone which will have parts of Rochester's historic city wall forming a centrepiece for the school.

The building itself will sit on a raised deck granting direct access to outdoor teaching space for the nursery and reception classes.

The new school will be located in the parkland area of the £419m development

It will be located in the heart of the £419m development's parkland sector – called Acorn Park and Bridge Park – overlooking the River Medway and central Rochester.

The school has been designed to maximise natural light in the building, co-developers Hyde and Countryside say.

Andy Fancy, managing director of Partnerships North and South London for Countryside, said: “It’s fantastic that we now have the green light to move forwards with this first-class modern school for Rochester.

"When complete, the school will provide much needed new places for children in the area and will come with state-of-the-art facilities with green, open parks on the doorstep.

"There is now real momentum behind Rochester Riverside, and we’re so proud to see the site transform into a new riverside destination for Medway.”

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Last month, developers received a boost as plans were also agreed for 171 homes in the third phase of the redevelopment.

Developers say the school's sports facilities will be opened to the public

Once finished, the regeneration of the waterfront will have 1,400 new homes adding to the already completed plaza which features a Co-op, Costa and Travelodge near Rochester station.

Guy Slocombe, chief investment officer at Hyde, added: “If we are serious about creating sustainable communities for the long term, providing great facilities must go hand-in-hand with building new homes, and so along with the new hotel, Co-op and Costa Coffee, the primary school is an extremely important and welcome addition to Rochester Riverside.”

Cllr Alan Jarrett (Con), leader of Medway Council, said he was "extremely pleased" the school could now be built, adding: "Rochester Riverside is a fantastic community with amenities onsite and nearby, and it is also incredibly important that this development provides school places for children.

The school will be opened to 210 pupils but with capacity to double that number to 420

"The new primary school is set to have excellent facilities for children to learn from nursery age up to year six, as well as sports and play areas."

The school could expand in future to have up to 420 pupils from nursery age to Year 6.

News from our universities, local primary and secondary schools including Ofsted inspections and league tables can be found here.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway

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