MORE people would like to see Bridgwater’s Haygrove School rebuilt at Queenswood Farm than opposite its current site, according to a survey.

Of 88 respondents to a Somerset County Council consultation on where the new Haygrove and Penrose schools should be built, 38 plumped for Queenswood Farm near Durleigh.

Of the remaining 50 respondents, 35 preferred Haygrove Farm, opposite the current Haygrove School, and 15 were in favour of neither site.

Among the respondents were 36 local residents, three parents, 16 who were residents and parents, four school staff, and others who did not mention their involvement.

The 15 who said they were in favour of neither site listed concerns including safety, cost of infrastructure, and the desire to rebuild Haygrove on its current site.

Julia Ridge, programme director for the Building Schools for the Future project, said: “The option of the existing Haygrove site has been carefully considered by our consultants but it is just not suitable. “Haygrove was originally built for 350 pupils in the 1930s and currently has 1,079 pupils.

“The new Haygrove School needs to accommodate 1,050 pupils, with potential for 1,200 as the town grows.

“It falls short of national guidelines for school space by 20% on indoor teaching space and by 77% on outdoor sports facilities.

“Its buildings are also in poor condition and are not suitable for redevelopment, as the school will need to last well into the future.”

Many readers have told the Mercury they believe a new two-storey school on the current Haygrove site would solve the space problem.

But Julia Ridge said local planners have said a two-storey school, equivalent to the height of three-storey domestic buildings, would not be allowed on that site. She added: “Even if we could build on three storeys, why would we want to give our children second class facilities when we are investing so much to improve our schools?”

Somerset County Council has handed the power to choose the new Haygrove and Penrose site to councillors Gloria Cawood and Sam Crabb, not a BSF education trust, as stated in a previous Mercury report.

Is Queenswood Farm the right place for Haygrove and Penrose? Use the comment form below to have your say.