A PLAN to build a permanent nursery at a school near Worcester has finally moved forward.

The application would see a “condemned” temporary structure at Rushwick Primary School demolished to make for the new nursery building.

The new building would provide enough space for 26 pre-schoolers aged between three and five years old and allow the children to make a “seamless transition” into key stage one at Rushwick Primary School.

The current preschool building, in the grounds of the primary school, off the village’s Upper Wick Lane, is almost 30 years old and is now “dilapidated” and leaky and needs replacing.

The school was given permission by Malvern Hills District Council to build a permanent nursery in 2020 but the plans have now been redrawn having been deemed too big.

A statement included with the application said: “The existing building [is] a single-storey portacabin which has exceeded its expected life use considerably to the point where it has become uninhabitable.

“It is approximately 28 years old and is suffering from recurring leaks and the exterior of the building is in extremely poor condition. It has come away from the substrate and the non-weatherproof building fabric is now exposed.

“Permission was granted for a larger purpose-built new preschool building [in 2020] … the plans have been reviewed by the academy with the school and the nursery management and the approved proposals were identified as overfulfilling the establishments needs.

“Therefore, we have developed this smaller alternative which should provide a financial saving whilst also meeting the identified needs more efficiently.”

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The nursery had been set up and run by a committee of volunteer parents until the end of last year but the Diocese of Worcester Multi Academy Trust, which runs Rushwick Primary School, has decided to merge the primary school with the nursery.

The nursery was last inspected by watchdog Ofsted in 2017 where it received a ‘good’ rating across the board.

You can have your say on the plan by visiting Malvern Hills District Council’s website.

The application number is M/22/01838/FUL and consultation ends on February 10.