Kennet Valley School has been given the green light from Wiltshire Council to consolidate on one site.

Last Thursday members of its eastern planning committee gave unanimous support to the plans for an extension to unite the primary school on one site instead of the two it has occupied at Lockeridge and East Kennett for 25 years.

The two village schools were federated under what was then a unique scheme in the South West to save either village losing its school.

However that advantage was heavily outweighed by educational disadvantages, headteacher Kim Spencer told the planning committee at Devizes.

She said she had 45 children at East Kennett and the 22 youngest pupils at Lockeridge. “On a split site many things are difficult to achieve,” said Mrs Spencer.

Having the school on the one site in Lockeridge would allow peer mentoring by the older pupils, encourage young leadership and provide the opportunity for all ages in the church school to worship together.

“It will allow the younger children to buddy up with the older children,” said Mrs Spencer.

Chair of governors Jane Davies said: “The proposed extension will provide children from the Kennet Valley with a very good education.”

She said the school was regularly described to her as being ‘the heart of the community’ and she said it should be on one site.

Acknowledging that some local people had expressed concern over the new building and, in particular, the extra traffic it would generate, Mrs Davies said: “We have amended the design where possible to meet various concerns.”

A number of residents told planners they objected to the school plans with one neighbour, Darren Arkwright, even suggesting the new extension would look like a Tesco.

Mr Arkwright said he believed the Lockeridge buildings could accommodate the children presently in both schools without the need for any extensions.

Neil Goodwin said that most residents in Lockeridge supported the school but he was concerned about the traffic and lack of play space.

He said: “It will lead to potential gridlock in the village every weekday morning and afternoon with the likelihood of real danger to children attending the school.”

Permission was granted subject to conditions including the submission of an acceptable green travel plan.