RESIDENTS are being asked to comment on plans to rebuild part of St Clere's School in Stanford-le-Hope.

For several years the school has been hampered by the loss of classrooms and spaces within the main school building because of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

Discovery of RAAC within the seventies-built school main complex in 2023 initially saw pupils having to work from home and then temporary classroom structures were built on the school playing fields, reducing the sporting capacity available to students and local clubs who used the grounds.

Temporary buildings at St Clere's have already eaten into land used for sports.

Horndon Cricket Club had to find a new ground for one of its teams that previously played there, while some of the St Clere's FC youth football teams were also displaced.

Over the years since the discovery of RAAC the Osborne Trust has considered several options and has now settled on a rebuild of a significant part of the main complex.

Proposals for the partial rebuild will be the centrepiece of a public meeting at the school on Butts Lane next week. It will take place on Thursday, 11 June from 4 to 7.30pm.

The project includes the phased demolition of the main school building, refurbishment of one existing building, and construction of two new teaching blocks. Temporary accommodation currently used for teaching will be removed once the new buildings are complete.

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The trust says the scheme will deliver modern, high-quality learning facilities designed to support teaching and provide a safe, inclusive environment for all pupils. The school, which accommodates 1,500 pupils, including a dedicated 20-place unit for Deaf and Visually Impaired learners, supported by around 250 staff, will remain fully operational throughout the works.

The newly-built school will include facilities for use by the community. A planning application is expected to be submitted in July 2026.

If you are unable to attend this event and would like to see a copy of the consultation boards, please contact: Sarah Isherwood - 020 3589 0050 - [email protected]

There will be a further opportunity for local residents to submit a formal response to the proposals once the planning application has been submitted and validated by Thurrock Council.

The school rebuild could run concurrently with the development of a major new housing estate on an adjacent field, prompting residents to fear major traffic issues on an already congested and narrow road.

At a meeting in March, then ward councillor Neil Speight said the intended junction providing access to the new estate would be very dangerous. Now it is possibly going to happen in tandem with significant construction traffic as St Clere's is rebuilt.

The planning application for the estate comes up again next Tuesday (9 June), when it is expected to be determined.

Councillors on the previous incarnation of the planning committee expressed many concerns about the housing development and initially voted to reject an officer recommendation for approval. However, further discussion took place and, after comments by chair Cllr Mike Fletcher, councillors reversed that decision and agreed to defer the decision to await further detail from Sports England seeking 'clarity' on its position.

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At next week's planning meeting members will hear a revised response from Sports England, which talks about St Clere's using proceeds from the sale of part of its land to improve the existing sports facilities. Fundamenatlly it has not changed its position.

The report to councillors says: "Sports England are aware of the school's intention towards enhancing sports provision but whilst they remain objectives that Sport England can support, their provision must become a commitment before SE withdraws their objection."

That commitment cannot now be made. In the same report the management of St Clere's says it cannot now commit to doing that because it will require funds for the school reconstruction.

Former councillor Speight, who hopes to speak at next week's planning meeting as a local resident, says: "This is now quite clear. The former committee voted to reject this application, despite an officer recommendation for approval by what I said at the time was a spurious distortion of the truth to keep the application alive. The argument over improved sports provision is now lost. It was the only reason councillors had second thoughts.

"Everything suggests that this application should now be refused on material planning grounds relating to access, development of green belt land with no special circumstances, the loss of sporting provision - and now the added factor of a huge rebuilding programme at St Clere's which will massively increase construction traffic on an already overused and dangerous road.

"I can only hope our new Reform councillors grasp the nettle and lay down a strong marker to developers - new homes are required in the region, no one disputes that, but they cannot come at any price.

"The price in this instance for local residents, the school and the local community is too high."