A new £12m school to cope with an influx of pupils from new homes has been given the go-ahead, despite one councillor remarking it looks like a '1930s munitions factory in Birmingham'.
The 420-place primary school in Blofield, to replace the village's existing school, was granted planning permission by Norfolk county councillors.
Councillors on County Hall's planning committee rubber-stamped the proposals for the new school, off Plantation Road, at a meeting on Friday (July 21).
But Conservative Chris Dawson said he was not happy with the design of the building.
He said: "When I first saw this, it was reminiscent of a 1930s munitions factory in Birmingham.
"Surely, we could make this more attractive to children at the end of the day. I just do not see where this fits with the village."
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Other councillors raised concerns over the safety of the access and the flat roof design of the project.
But they did grant permission, even though the proposals went against an agreed development plan for Blofield.
Council education officers had said the new building was needed because the current school is already oversubscribed, yet more than 400 homes are due to be built in Blofield over the next decade.
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The new building will be built about 250m away from the current school site.
It would include 14 classrooms and group rooms, along with a central library and multi-purpose hall.
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The council had received 29 objections from the public, with many concerned over safety implications of a new pedestrian route from Farman Way. However that route has since been scrapped.
Officers, who had recommended approval, said, even though the scheme did not fit with the development plan, policies do support community facilities outside the village boundaries if appropriate.
The committee voted for it, with 10 votes for and one against.
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