Work could start soon on new primary on Darwin Green development

Work could soon start on a 420-place primary school at the Darwin Green development in Cambridge.

The development between Huntingdon Road and Histon Road will feature almost 1,600 residential homes, the primary school, a park and six small retail units.

Construction work finally began in September last year after more than a decade of delays.

The two-form entry primary school will also have a 52-place pre-school and children’s centre, together with car and cycling parking. It will have 16 classrooms, two halls, a library and an IT area.

Darwin Green’s progress was held back by legal issues involving ownership of the land.

Proposals for the school were given planning permission in February 2016 but an additional application is needed before work can begin.

This application was registered by Cambridgeshire County Council on Thursday (November 1).

Frank Shaw Associates Limited has designed the plans for the school and said: “Soft social spaces, hard play areas and playing fields are located to form an extension to the public open space at the centre of Darwin Green.”

Plans are currently being prepared for the second phase of development at the site, with a second two-form entry primary school and a six-form entry secondary school planned for the area.

However, the secondary school is unlikely to open before 2023, according to the county council.