A NEW primary school for children in Christchurch will not be ready by the already delayed deadline.

Multi-million pound plans for a new school in the west of the borough has been proposed by Dorset County Council to deal with Christchurch’s school places crisis.

A site at Marsh Lane is being considered as a possible location. But the plans have suffered delays, scuppering the original intention to provide a new school by September 2015.

Temporary classrooms have been placed at Christchurch Infants School and earlier this year councillors agreed to add a second to the site, so the current reception age children can move up to year one and a new group can start in September. Those classes will then move onto the Twynham School site in September 2015 until the school is built and classes can transfer there. In July, Twynham head teacher Dr Terry Fish said he anticipated that only being for one year while the new school was built. But in a quarterly asset management report seen by Dorset County Council’s cabinet earlier this month, members were told the school “cannot become operational by September 2016 as planned”.

Negotiations over the proposed site at Marsh Lane in Christchurch have been taking place between the land owner, Sembcorp Bournemouth Water, and the county council.

According to the report, Sembcorp has plans to expand their own operations at the site and it has been proposed the two organisations look to share the site.

“We can’t set a formal timeline until we have secured some land for the school, and any acquisition would be subject to planning permission. However we are keen to ensure a new school is built as soon as possible,” said a spokesperson for Dorset County Council.

The arrangement at Twynham will continue until a new school is built.