Planning approval was granted yesterday for the specially designed two-storey building to be constructed in the grounds of Ulverston Victoria High School, in Springfield Road, Ulverston.
Once complete, it will be occupied by Sandside Lodge School as it relocates from its current location in the town’s Sandside Road.
The new school will provide 80 places for children across the area and has been designed to ensure it maximises natural light into the classrooms while not causing sensory overload to pupils.
It will also have car and minibus parking for 50 vehicles with a dedicated drop-off and pick-up point, space for bicycles and sports facilities.
Sandside Lodge headteacher Susan Gill said: “We are absolutely delighted. This makes it real now. The facilities will be fantastic and we will be on the same site as Ulverston Victoria High School which is very exciting.”
Mrs Gill said the early work on the site is hoped to start by Easter.
Before receiving the unanimous backing of members of Cumbria County Council’s development control committee, Councillor Bill McKeown said: “This is a great thing for the area. We need to have something like this for our young people.”
The building will replace the aging Todbusk Sixth Form Centre at UVHS, some sheds and the tennis courts.
A number of trees will have to be felled to make way for the school though none are subject to a tree preservation order. Building work is expected to begin once a drainage plan is finalised for the site.
The county council’s development control committee chairman, Cllr Alan Clark, said: “This is really positive, good news for this area.”
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