Bird's-eye view shows new Blofield Primary School progress

Construction work on the new £11.3m Blofield Primary School, off Plantation Road, began in January.

And council bosses hope main contractor Pentaco Construction will have completed its work by spring next year.

As this picture by aerial photographer Mike Page shows, construction of the new school, to replace the existing one in North Street, is progressing well.

The new, two-storey, site will have a capacity of 420 pupils, almost double the size of the current one, with 14 classrooms.

How the new Blofield Primary School will look (Image: NPS / Norfolk County Council)

It will also feature a kitchen, library, administration offices and a main hall with adjoining studio space. 

Plans for the new school were given the green light by Norfolk County Council's planning committee in July last year.

Permission was granted even though the proposals went against an agreed development plan for Blofield.

READ MORE: New Rackheath secondary school could cost upwards of £70m

Council education officers said the new school was needed because the current school was oversubscribed and more than 400 homes are due to be built in Blofield over the next decade.

The existing Blofield Primary School (Image: Newsquest)

However, at the time permission was granted, Conservative county councillor Chris Dawson was not impressed with the design of the building.

He said: "When I first saw this, it was reminiscent of a 1930s munitions factory in Birmingham."

The existing primary school is due to be converted into a public centre, once the school moves to its new site.

Broadland District Council granted permission for that change at a meeting in July.

Blofield Parish Council intends to extend the main building and to open up the playing fields, with new equipment, for the general public.

However, a small section of these fields would be lost to a 57-space car park, as well as spaces for three motorcycles, four disabled badge holders and 18 bicycles.