Cringleford: Work starts on new primary school in city outskirts

Work has started on building a new school to help ease pressure on places.

The primary school in Cringleford is being built close to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and will take 420 pupils aged from four to 11.

The free school will be the second primary in the village and run by the Inspiration Trust when it opens in September 2024.

Plans for the school were given the go-ahead in April, with the council saying it was "exciting" to see work begin.

Penny Carpenter, Conservative cabinet member for Norfolk County Council's children's services, said: "It demonstrates the council's commitment to making sure there are the right number of school places so children can go to school in their local communities."

The school is being built off Colney Lane to help cope with demand for school places in Cringleford, which has seen a string of new housing estates in recent years, with another 1,300 homes due to be built.

Local families were being offered school reception places elsewhere due to the squeeze on school places in the village, according to planning papers.

The new school will have solar panels, passive stack natural ventilation, air source heat pumps and an all-electric kitchen.

It is one of a proposed 26 new schools proposed for Norfolk over the next 10 years as part of the council's £308 million local growth plan.

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