Hertfordshire County Council confirmed that a new school will be built despite access concerns raised at a vote this morning.

Development control committee members approved the planning application to build a new site for Breakspeare School to be accessed from Manor Way, Croxley Green, (next to Little Green Junior School) on the same day it received an all-‘outstanding’ Ofsted report (October 24).

In July, the council postponed its decision - which will see Breakspeare leave its existing home in Gallows Hill Lane, Abbots Langley, for a larger building - after residents raised fears over the narrow residential roads that would be used to get there.

Rough site boundaries and Manor Way route from the south (left branch proposed to be used)Rough site boundaries and Manor Way. (Image: Google Maps/Canva) The committee had asked the applicant to provide more information on the alternative access options it had considered and approach relevant landowners to explore these options fully at the previous meeting.

This morning, councillors were taken through the possibilities that were discussed and why they were ultimately discarded, as well as further conversations that had taken place since the deferral.

Council officers that looked over the documentation provided ahead of the meeting recommended that plans should be approved.

Several councillors indicated that they still had concerns over the access in the council chamber but the committee ultimately voted to approve the recommendation - with six votes for, one against, and two abstentions.

The special school has already been expanding its provision in anticipation of the move, which is expected to take place in September 2026.

There were 97 places for children with severe learning difficulties in 2023 before using a satellite location to increase this to 145 for a smoother transition. It could have 210 pupils on its roll once the move is complete.

The new site was proposed for 137 staff (full-time equivalent). It will contain 145 parking spaces, 18 disabled parking spaces, and six school mini-bus parking spaces so that all drop-off and pick-up can be done within the site boundary.

The building will be arranged as one large structure in a box shape around a courtyard divided into two by a triangular central area with extra rooms.

The neighbouring Little Green Junior School will lose a small part of its playing field when the access is created and to compensate for this a new multi-use games area for Little Green’s sole use will be created.

CGI shows how the new Breakspeare School could look.CGI shows how the new Breakspeare School could look. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council/Holmes Miller)