THREE extra classrooms are to be built at Lytchett Minster School – by removing a dated single-story pre-fab’ building, replacing it with a two storey replacement.

The new classrooms will be on the first floor with two classrooms and a caretaker’s space on the ground floor.

Dorset Council’s area planning committee heard that a large Dawn Redwood tree next to the existing classroom in the centre of the school campus had already been felled to prevent future problems after signs of root failure and hollow sections were discovered.

An officer report said the replacement classroom would not be visible from outside the school grounds and would be shielded by existing two-storey buildings on all sides. The footprint of the new structure will be the same as the existing classroom and caretaker block.

The application came before the committee because the site is adjoining the Grade 2 listed main school building, the local conservation area and is considered Green Belt land where new building should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.

Planning officers said that none of these would be compromised by the new building and was acceptable, supporting the needs of the school.