A NEW proposal to expand an independent school in Malvern has been unveiled after planning chiefs decided that a previous scheme could not go ahead.

The school invited people to take a look at the plans for a new boarding house which could cater for up to 105 pupils in preparation for submitting a planning application this week.

The new boarding house is the first stage of a multi-million pound investment in the buildings and facilities of Malvern College.

Staff from the school, which currently has about 760 pupils, refused to say exactly how much the investment would be but called the sum "significant".

If planning permission is permitted, the boarding house will accommodate the school's growing pupil numbers.

It will allow existing boarders to be rehoused while older boarding houses are refurbished, a process that can take up to nine months. The new scheme will also see the demolition of an existing medical centre on the land on the south side of College Road.

Last year, an application for a new building at Malvern College was refused because councillors believed it was not in keeping with the architectural style of the College Road school and the surrounding environment.

Headmaster David Dowdles said: "We have listened very carefully to the comments made by the planners and local residents regarding our previous application.

"We have now drawn up plans which take these into consideration and this attractive scheme provides for linked buildings which respect and enhance the character of the conservation area".

"This and the other phases of our eventual multimillion pound improvement programme are designed to make Malvern College the leading independent co-educational boarding and day school of its type and scale in the UK."

Bursar Ian Barron said that the open days to show off the plans had gone well although the school had not yet had a chance to evaluate the visitors' responses.