PLANS for the first new primary school in Malvern for 25 years have taken a major step forward.

The proposal for the school on the Malvern Vale development has just been given the thumbs-up by Worcestershire County Council.

The school, which is set to open its doors in autumn 2017, is the first new primary school to be built in Malvern since Northleigh in 1991.

The planning application for the new school was approved on Tuesday by the county council's planning and regulatory committee.

The proposal is for a one-form entry primary school, accommodating about 210 pupils from reception up to Year Six, and employing about 25 members of staff.

The single-storey building, close to the community centre, is designed to be sustainable, with features such as solar panels and a drainage scheme to control surface water.

The decision has been welcomed by Stuart Sewell of Mercian Academies, which runs the existing Somers Park primary school and which will be running the new school.

He said: "We're absolutely delighted. It's a very exciting project, to be starting up a new school.

"Now that we have planning approval, we will be putting contracts out to tender with the intention of breaking ground in November."

He said that he would like a child who will attend the new school in autumn 2017 to perform the ground-breaking ceremony. Interested parents can contact Mercian Academies on 01684 585348.

There will be a meeting at Somers Park on Thursday, November 3, for parents interested in a place at the new school. The meeting will focus how to apply for a place, plus the learning and teaching ethos of the school and its leadership structure.

Link ward councillor Paul Tuthill said: "I totally support the proposal. The development of the school under the umbrella of the Somers Park, which has had an outstanding Ofsted report, is very welcome."

Cllr Marc Bayliss, cabinet member with responsibility for children and families, said: "The approval of this proposal is excellent news for local families. With new housing developments progressing well, the demand for school places in Worcestershire is greater than ever, and it is hugely important that we meet this demand."

Cllr Rob Adams, chair of the planning and regulatory committee, said: "We are pleased to approve this application. The committee is satisfied it is a sustainable development and shows great consideration for minimising any impact on the local environment."