DORSET County Council will enter ‘formal negotiations’ with landowners in a bid to buy a site for a new Christchurch primary school.

Sembcorp Bournemouth Water, which owns land off Marsh Lane in Christchurch, confirmed it had been approached by Dorset County Council to buy part of the site for the west Christchurch school.

Managing director Roger Harrington said: “The discussions are at a very early stage, and any acquisition by the council would be subject to the granting of planning permission for the school development.”

Multi-million pound plans for a new school in the west of the borough have been proposed by Dorset County Council to deal with a school places crisis in Christchurch.

Temporary classrooms have been placed at Christchurch Infants School and earlier this year councillors agreed to add a second to the site, so the current reception age children can move up to year one and a new group can start in September.

Those classes will then move onto the Twynham School site in September 2015 until the school is built and classes can transfer there.

In July, Twynham head teacher Dr Terry Fish said he anticipated the arrangement only being for one year while the new school was built.

But councillors were told recently the school “cannot become operational by September 2016 as planned”.

Regarding the Marsh Lane site, Mr Harrington added: “The site, comprising open grasslands and fields, is currently used for the grazing of horses and cattle.

“The environmental project proposed by the company on the remaining part of the site will see the creation of 12 reed beds which will serve as filters for wash water, allowing the company to improve the quality of the water it discharges into the River Avon as part of its operations.

“This portion of the site will therefore retain its openness and landscaped setting, with the project having the effect of a change from one form of rural character to another.

“As with the proposed school development, the environmental project will be subject to planning permission.”