Plans to ‘widen a school entrance’ and to create a new dining area have been approved – but some locals are concerned about ‘construction traffic’.

Bucks Council has permitted a series of changes planned for Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School, on West Street, in Marlow, as part of a wider, ongoing upgrade.

Plans detail ‘external and internal alterations (including) to the science and maths building south façade, a refit of the existing assembly hall to create a dining hall, with fenestration alterations’.

Bucks Free Press:

Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School

READ MORE: Demolition of ‘unsafe’ 18-storey tower block in Bucks

Other changes include the ‘insertion of an exit door, a new roof finish, and the widening of a courtyard gate’.

“Some new paving” is also mentioned.

READ MORE: ‘Shameless’: Developer slammed for allegedly turning plot into ‘dumping ground’

But one objector demanded to know “which entrance relates to the proposed widening”, and “which access route will be used for construction vehicles”.

They had also previously complained about “large construction machinery” causing “congestion” and “further pollution in an AQMA (Air Quality Management Area)”.

The school has undergone recent expansion ‘to support capacity of more than 1,000 pupils’ with additional classroom space, a new sports hall and other “major improvements”.

“Following completion of the new sports hall in 2021, the assembly function will move to the old sports hall and there is some internal refit of the science buildings required to upgrade classrooms and toilet facilities,” a design and access statement reads.

“The old assembly hall is now to be refitted as a refectory under these upgrading plans.

“The existing lobby to the sixth form centre will be enlarged internally to access expanded toilets and an additional internal stair will be cut into the building.

“Much of this is to allow more convenient internal circulation with better social distancing, while providing much needed amenity areas to the school.”

It adds: “Traffic intensity would be kept to a minimum without any major construction activity.”

The plans were permitted earlier in August.