A Preston secondary school that is set to increase the number of pupils it admits has been given the go-ahead to expand its facilities – including by creating an outdoor terrace where students can eat.
Town hall officials have now approved the extension of the St. Vincents Road school’s existing dining room – by converting a storage area and toilets – along with the creation of what was described in its planning application as a “small” concrete terrace.Other alterations – requiring the removal of internal walls – will also provide temporary classrooms, while pupil toilets will be refurbished, with new cubicles installed.
However, the authority then carried out a public consultation into a proposal to make the increase a permanent one from September 2025 – a move which was subsequently given the nod in April. It means the overall pupil roll will gradually increase from the current 775 students to 1,050. Of the nine respondents who commented specifically on the suitability of the school for enlargement, seven noted that it would provide additional places at what they said was a popular and oversubscribed school – but two were concerned about the potential impact on its performance.