By Mark Turner

Plans to knock down a primary school and rebuild it so it can double its intake have been backed by the local council.

Teynham Primary School, in Station Road, Teynham, are planning to rebuild their primary school to hold up to 420 pupils.

On Monday, Swale Council declared they had no objections to the Kent County Council proposals, which would include a second storey building and a multi-use game area.

It would also have the ability to hold twice the students from 210, with an additional 30 pre-school pupils at the private nursery.

The original building was designed to be used temporarily around 50 years ago, but it is still in use today.

The local authority says an expansion of the existing school is not possible, so a new and improved building with an additional floor is the best way forward.

All that remains is approval for KCC’s plans before any construction begins.

Concerns had arisen about traffic within the local area due to the increased pupil count, but otherwise there wasn’t many negative comments submitted about the project.

Due to it only being intended as a short-term option, the current building is plagued with issues such as poor insulation, heating, and ventilation systems.

If given the go ahead, the new building will have a modern look and features an autumn colour scheme along the windows.

The new design makes further improvements, such as a reduction of carbon emissions and better safety features for staff and students.

The colours were chosen based on leaves the pupils had collected. These colours will extend to the interior of the building, giving it a unique look.

As a result of any expansion of the school’s capacity, new jobs would be created for teachers and those working on the construction of the building.

Additional parking is also planned to provide more spaces for new staff and visitors.