A school for children with special educational needs which was severely damaged by fire will get a new building.

Fairways School in New Road, Swanwick, was damaged by a blaze in July 2021, rendering the buildings unusable.

Children have been learning in temporary buildings ever since.

The school was granted approval from Fareham Borough Council planning chiefs to replace the existing temporary school buildings, move the existing modular buildings, create a new school, improve existing access and car parking, and move the games area.  

The decision notice said: “The premises shall be used as a school for pupils with special emotional and mental health needs only.”

The proposed school building includes a new building combined with some of the existing modular buildings around a central courtyard.

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The two blocks will provide 25 classrooms with a larger area for teaching art, said the final officer’s report.

The school will increase its capacity to accommodate up to 25 pupils and 30 staff, providing one-to-one or one to one-to-two teaching spaces. 

The final officer’s report said: “The proposed building is located beyond the settlement policy boundary, however it is located within an existing school campus and has been sensitively designed to minimise the impact on the wider area and neighbouring properties.

“The proposed building would provide a high-quality learning environment for children with special educational needs for which there is great demand.”