Plans for a school to double in size and to move to a new site, to cope with a rising population because of hundreds of new homes, have moved forwards a significant step.

Norfolk County Council wants to build a new primary school at the Wheatcroft Farm housing development in Chaplin Road at Bradwell, near Great Yarmouth.

The new school would replace the existing Bradwell Homefield CE VC Primary School, in Homefield Avenue.

It would be able to cater for 420 pupils, double the size of the current school, but would no longer provide a nursery.

The school currently accepts pupils aged from three to 11, but the replacement would admit pupils aged four to 11, with 60 children in each year group.

Sara Tough, director of children's services at Norfolk County CouncilSara Tough, director of children's services at Norfolk County Council (Image: Copyright (c) Julian Claxton Photography 2017.)Sara Tough, director of children's services at Conservative-controlled County Hall, has kick-started four weeks of consultation after a public notice was published about the intended changes.

The council said the new school, which would be a two-storey building with 14 classrooms, is needed because more primary school aged children are expected to move into 1,000 new homes in Bradwell.

Some 360 of the new homes are yet to be built, and County Hall officials said the existing primary schools would not be able to take the predicted extra pupils.

The authority considered expanding Bradwell Homefields CE VC Primary School, but the existing site is too small for the necessary extension.

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A new consultation period over the council's intended changes, which would see the new school welcome its first pupils in spring 2027, runs until Monday, December 16.

The new 700-home neighbourhood at Wheatcroft Farm in BradwellThe new 700-home neighbourhood at Wheatcroft Farm in Bradwell (Image: Archant) In a previous consultation, carried out last November, 51pc of those who responded disagreed or strongly disagreed with the proposals.

Their concerns included that they wanted to keep the school as it is, preferring the smaller classrooms, ability to walk to school and the existing ethos of the school.

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Council officials acknowledged the "mixed response" but said the authority had a statutory duty to ensure there were sufficient school places and the proposals were supported by school governors and staff.