Fresh calls have been made for a new Carlisle primary school after it was revealed there are plans to build 200 homes in the city.

It was reported in the News & Star last Tuesday that Sheffield-based developer Gleeson Homes is seeking permission from Carlisle City Council to build up to 200 houses off Kingtstown Road in north Carlisle.

City councillor David Morton, who described the pressure on primary schools in the north of the city as "acute", said the new plans made the need for an extra school more pressing.

If approved, the Gleeson development would sit alongside the Story Homes estate currently under construction - called Aspen Grange - which is set to be 172 properties in total.

And less than a mile away, Persimmon Homes is busy building a new estate called Tarraby View, which on completion could number up to 276 new houses.

In light of the new Gleeson Homes plan, Mr Morton urged Cumbria County Council - the body responsible for education in the city - to forge ahead with ensuring a new school is built in north Carlisle.

"I think everybody would agree that it’s necessary to build a new school north of the river" Mr Morton said.

"Quite clearly there is going to be a great demand for school places.

"The sooner somebody can tell the people north of the river what they’re going to do about the education then it’ll be the better for all concerned," he continued.

"If the county council looked at themselves in perspective, they would realise that the school was needed."

Mr Morton, who represents Belah ward on Carlisle City Council, rejected the idea of further extending the schools in his patch - Kingmoor Infant and Junior Schools.

He stressed that despite recent expansion both schools are exceeding their pupil capacity, currently by 22 children.

"I wouldn’t moot any further expansion at Kingmoor at all, for either of the two schools," he said.

"At the present time, all the roads surrounding the school in the morning and the afternoon, it causes absolute chaos to the local community.

"There have been a lot of incidents over a period of time with vehicles abandoned literally on junctions and on bends and on people’s driveways – with total lack of consideration for the local community.

"Any expansion of the school at Kingmoor in my book is a no-no."

--- Belah School ---

Until 2008, Mr Morton's ward was also served by Belah School. He said that the 200-home Gleeson proposal further underlined that critics of the closure had been correct.

"The county council, against the judgement of the majority, decided to close Belah School - for whatever reason," he said.

"I think, if my memory serves me correctly, at that time they said the birth rate was falling and that there weren’t any plans for substantial development north of the river.

"And that accordingly, the schools that existed there, i.e. Stanwix and Kingmoor, could cope relatively comfortably with the demand.

"Well demand outstrips places now, substantially. A number of people spoke out quite loudly against the closure of Belah School. And their arguments, I guess, have been proved right."

--- Crindledyke ---

Mr Morton also referred to the Crindledyke development north of Carlisle, which currently just under 200 homes.

It had long been expected that a new school would be built on the estate, but last week the developer confirmed to the News & Star that there were no immediate plans for further construction.

A spokeswoman for the company said: "no further construction activity can take place at Crindledyke until detailed planning permission is secured for the next phase".

Mr Morton said the Crindledyke estate was adding to the pressure on school places north of the river.

"I know some families that bought a house there in the knowledge that there was intended to be a school, which would be convenient for them to put their children in.

"But now they’ve got to transport them to wherever they can find a place."

---

To alleviate the pressure, Mr Morton suggested a new school should be sited to the east of Kingstown Road.

"A lot of the children come from that side of the road.

"It could ease the pressure on Kingmoor to a degree, but certainly something needs to be done sooner rather than later."

In response to Mr Morton's concerns, Cumbria County Council reiterated their stance on ensuring school capacity meets the needs of each catchment area's population.

A county council spokesman said:

“Should the cumulative effect of housing development in the area mean that there are likely to be insufficient school places, then developers, through the local planning authority, will be asked to make a payment towards provision of the additional places required.

This is a standard approach for Local Authorities across England.”