PLANS for a new Herefordshire village school have received top marks from councillors – 20 years after they were first thought up.

A Herefordshire Council planning committee approved proposals for Staunton-on-Wye Primary School to relocate to a site on the edge of the village.

The new single-storey complex will also house pre-school and toddler groups.

“We’re delighted it has gone through,” said Glenn Jones, who represented the school governors and addressed the committee on why the plans should be approved.

“The idea for a new school started about 20 years ago and this means the school will be able to look forward to exciting times ahead.”

The new site will have outdoor sport facilities and on-site drop-off points and will be made of natural materials.

During his address, Mr Jones described the current three-storey Grade II-listed Victorian school building near the village centre as “not suited to educate children in the 21st century”. It has no lift, so fails to meet disabled access requirements.

He said the new site, which could cater for 90 primary school pupils and 26 pre-school places, would transform the children’s learning.

The land for the new development, close to the A438, was approved for the replacement school back in 2004.

■ About £360,000 in funding is required for the pre-school to be built.

To help raise some of the money, three fund-raisers are set to cycle from Staunton-on-Wye to the Houses of Parliament at the weekend.

To sponsor them, visit the website justgiving.com/pre2par.

Sponsorship money will also be given to Acorns Children’s Hospice.