Work on a £10 million project to replace the main teaching block at Kingsmead School in Wiveliscombe is hoped to start at the end of the summer term – five years later than originally planned.

A recent public consultation saw 176 students, staff, governors, parents, carers, local councillors and the general public visit the school to view plans and talk to the contractor.

Now planning permission is being sought to build a brand new three-storey main teaching block with a one-storey main hall.

It will replace the original building, which was erected before the school opened in 1953 and now suffers from a number of problems, including “concrete cancer”.

Funding has been earmarked by the Department of Education through a Priority Schools Building Programme grant, given to schools in the worst condition.

The school originally applied successfully for a grant in 2015 when it had a roll of 750 pupils, but because that grew to over 900 – and a possible 1,050 in the next few years – and with delays caused by Brexit, the project stalled.

Now, once planning consent has been granted, the aim is to start work at the end of the summer term with an expected build time of 15 months.

For further details, see the full report and more pictures in this week’s Free Press.