PLANS for Cradley's new £1 million Church of England primary school are to be presented to villagers at a public meeting next month.

It will replace the present village school, which consists of two classrooms in a Victorian building dating from 1856 and three more in "temporary" buildings constructed 30 years ago.

There was a certain amount of controversy when the new school was first proposed by the governors, with some parishioners wanting to retain a school on the present site while others considered it too small.

Three sites were considered at a public meeting in June before a site was chosen to the east of the village, near the Bury Fields estate. It was thought this would cause the least damage to the centre of the village in terms of extra traffic.

Eighty-five per cent of the funding will come from the Department for Education and the school will have to raise the remainder, some of which could come from selling the existing site.

Kidderminster architects Howl Associates have been commissioned to draw up the plans, which are expected to be submitted for planning approval shortly.

Villagers will be able to see them at the public meeting on Monday, May 21, when they will be able to talk to the architects about the proposals.

Herefordshire Council is waiting until formal planning permission has been given before purchasing the site.

Property services manager Colin Birks said: "As it is a church school, the project has been commissioned by the Hereford Diocese and the school governors.

"As the local education authority, we are looking at it to make sure it conforms to regulations for school premises."