An additional £32 million investment has been agreed by Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet to support its school growth programme, including the provision of 11 new schools across the county.

As well as new schools, the additional money will also be put towards school expansion projects and help maintain school buildings, including reducing the carbon footprint of premises.

Details of the new schools across Suffolk include a new secondary school and two new primary schools for the Ipswich Garden Suburb development.

Also listed is the relocation of Lakenheath Primary School and Trimley St Martin Primary school both to new bigger sites to allow for expansion.

There is also funding for new primary schools in Haverhill, Woolpit, north Felixstowe, Wolsey Grange in Ipswich, Rushbrooke housing development in Bury St Edmunds and Chilton Woods housing development in Sudbury.

The money will also support plans to build new Early Years provision and expand existing sites. These include the expansion of Exning Pre-school, new pre-schools in Western Way, Bury St Edmunds and Holton St Peter and the reprovision of places at Beck Row pre-school.

The money will also be used to improve fire prevention at Thurston Community College and Dale Hall Primary School, Ipswich, plus new sports facilities at Dale Hall Primary School, an expansion of facilities at Moulton CEVCP School, Newmarket and a new conservatory at Highfields Nursery School, Ipswich.

Councillor Rachel Hood, cabinet member for education, SEND and skills, at Suffolk County Council, said: “It is vital we continue to match the number of school places with new housing developments being built across Suffolk. We are facing increased pressure to match demand for new places.

“As we are seeing across the country, the increase in the cost of building materials is having an impact on our schools building programme. This money allows us to keep pace and fulfil our duty to provide new school places in line with community growth, as well as provide safe and comfortable premises to teach our children and young people.”

The money will also be used to carry out work on school buildings to reduce the carbon footprint and the requirements needed to meet the net zero target of 2030.

The £32m will be covered by Government borrowing and other capital sources.

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