PLANS for Poole’s new junior school have been submitted to the borough’s planning department.

The £6.8million Ocean Academy for 360 Key Stage 2 pupils aged seven to 11, is proposed for the former Fourways site in Constitution Hill Road.

A two-storey building, the plans show an L-shape with a long teaching block with a smaller block parallel with the road, containing the sports and dining hall and kitchen.

There will be a full sized rugby pitch on the eastern boundary and a multi-use game area on the south-western corner.

Cllr Janet Walton, portfolio holder for children & young people at Borough of Poole, said: “A second phase of demolition work at the former Fourways site is set to be undertaken in June.

“This will involve the removal of the ground floor slabs, service trenches and foundations of the old buildings, which will complete the work approved by the Local Planning Authority on June 27th, 2013 .

“This work is not directly associated with the current planning application.”

The need for the school has been identified by Borough of Poole due to an increase in the number of school age children with a rising birth rate and more people moving into the town.

Ocean Academy is being sponsored by the Aspirations Academies Trust, who operate seven schools including Jewell Academy in Bournemouth and Magna Academy in Poole.

The council held two events for residents to view and comment on the designs and their views have been taken into account.

Funding of £3.8m from the Department for Education to the council in July 2013, has a condition that it opens in September 2015.

It is planned that 90 pupils will start at the school then with a further 90 admitted each subsequent year with the school reaching full occupation in September 2018.