A new primary school for Hilton is now one step closer to opening after the green light was given to providing initial money towards the project.

Derbyshire County Council had approved plans to build the school in the village three years ago to accommodate the expected increase in primary-age children living in the area.

A total of 485 new houses are being built on a site at The Mease in the village and it has been estimated that almost 100 new school places will need to be found to help meet demand.

Now the new Mease Hilton Academy is being designed and built by the housing developer St Modwen and will be operated by the George Spencer Academy Trust.

The county council has agreed to provide the £172,600 set-up costs required to ensure everything is in place for when the school is due to open in September 2019.

The George Spencer Academy Trust will use the council funding to pay for the school's set-up, including the recruitment of teaching staff, pupil admissions, financial and legal arrangements, building management and other essential preparation work.



Alex Dale, Derbyshire County Council's cabinet member for young people, said: "Plans for Hilton's new primary school are well advanced and on schedule for it to open in two years' time.

"Planning permission has been secured, our preferred trust has been confirmed by the Department for Education and we expect building work to start next year.

"What we've now approved is £172,600 start-up costs to ensure everything is in place when Mease Hilton Academy opens its doors to pupils, staff and parents in 2019.

"Hilton already has the largest primary school in Derbyshire with around 800 pupils on its roll, so the need for a new school was clear as soon as the housing development was first proposed.

"We're confident that plans already well under way and the funding we've now approved for the George Spencer Academy Trust will help ensure that families in the Hilton area will soon have the choice of two excellent schools, helping to give local children the best possible start in life."

The cost of building the school and the design will be covered by St Modwen as part of the agreement for the new houses in the village and the county council covers the start up costs.

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