Thurston College could be rebuilt due to RAAC issues

The new school, which would replace the Thurston Community College building in Norton Road, near Bury St Edmunds, will be discussed at a meeting of Mid Suffolk’s planning committee on Wednesday.

The college is part of the Government’s school rebuilding programme as one of several schools affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

RAAC is a material used widely between the 1950s and 1990s as a cheaper alternative to standard concrete but with a much shorter lifespan and lower durability, leading to structural safety risks.

The Department for Education (DfE) said if the plans were not approved next week, the new school would be pushed into a different funding cycle, with costs likely increasing by £1.2 million to £1.5 million.

If approved, the new building will be built north of the existing school, with teaching carrying on as normal until construction is completed, by which point pupils will be transferred.

The current building would then be demolished.

As part of the scheme, the existing library block would be refurbished to accommodate students being relocated from the Beyton Campus.

The school’s capacity would not change – staying at 1,914 pupils – but there would be room for expansion in the future if needed.

But the plans have been met with local opposition, with several concerns raised by Thurston Parish Council, including around road safety and the impact on the character of the village.

The parish council said: “Whilst a large three-floor university-style building may work in a large town or university city on an existing campus, that is not Thurston.

“Thurston is still a village with no other large structures or organisations that this would fit with or be comparable to.”

Six objections from residents have also been submitted with similar concerns.

The officer’s report acknowledged the concerns but recommended the plans for approval due to the public benefits associated with them.