Burnham and Highbridge’s Mayor says new data from Somerset Council shows there is no need for a planned new primary school to be built at Highbridge’s Brue Farm housing development.
The County Council previously said in 2018 that a new school had been earmarked for the Brue Farm development to offset the building of hundreds of new homes around the town.
New housing developments are underway at Brue Farm (pictured), plus next to Isleport Lane, and in Walrow which is leading to a local population increase over the next few years.
Mayor Cllr Lesley Millard told the latest council meeting that she had met Phil Curd, Head of Education Places at Somerset Council, to discuss the new latest figures on pupil numbers.
“Phil came with all the latest data on local schools and it was very clear on his data that there is absolutely no case to have a new primary school at Bue Farm at this moment,” she said.
“We have 10-15 years so if there is any change in the position we can go back to them. Verbally we had received a very different picture.”
A Somerset County Council spokesperson confirmed: “Pupil forecasts indicate that there are sufficient school places available across Burnham and Highbridge for the forseeable future.”
Residents in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge have raised concerns about local public services such as schools, doctors, dentists and even sewer facilities being put under extra strain from the growing population in the future.
