A SCHOOL in an East Lancashire township is to get a new classroom with a canopied playground.

The modular building at St Paul’s Oswaldtwistle Primary will provide a new home for its reception class.

The governors of the Church of England school in the township's Union Road have applied to Hyndburn Council for planning permission for the addition which will be painted in shades of grey.

A supporting statement says: "This design and access statement has been prepared to support the application for permission to erect a modular classroom building to support the on-going need to provide a reception classroom at the existing primary school.

"The school has an existing reception classroom which is too small to facilitate the existing school intake.

"The premises will be used as a reception classroom to provide 86 square metres of internal space which will support up to two to three school staff and 30 pupils.

"The proposed site location is to the east of the school.

"The proposed site location is brown field site adjacent to St Pauls Street opposite a row of residential properties.

"The proposed site location and primary school are all owned by Blackburn Diocese.

"The modular building construction is manufactured by Moduplan and tailored to the client’s specification.

"The applicants plan consists of 86sqm of gross internal space with two pupil WC’s, one accessible WC, kitchenette, lobby and classroom space.

"There will be two main entrance doors and a number of single access doors internally.

"The rear of the modular building will contain a canopied playground area that will be fenced around to keep the pupils contained within the school.

"The building will be built flush to ground level to provide level access into the modular reception classroom.

"This is an important aspect of the design to ensure a level internal floor level with the external ground level.

"The building will be heated by air source heat pump which will be located to the rear of the building.

"The modular reception classroom will provide a nursery facility.

"The existing reception classroom is too small and there is no suitable classroom accommodation within the existing school.

"The proposed modular reception classroom will provide a bespoke facility which is fit for modern primary school teaching. "No staffing changes or increase to pupil numbers are proposed as part of this development."