West Dunbartonshire Council's Planning Committee have approved a new £15.1 million campus to transform the education of hundreds of pupils in Renton.

The campus, which will be built on the current grounds of the school, will include a new Renton Primary School, a new Language and Communication unit and a new Riverside Early Learning and Childcare Centre.

Plans show children will have increased spaces for playing outside in a new three storey building, with classrooms linking to outdoor areas on each floor.

Two rooms on each level of the campus will be dedicated to pupils within the Language and Communications Unit.

In addition, a new multi-use sports pitch and playground area will be built on the site of the current school which will be demolished once the new building is complete.

The plans were submitted to West Dunbartonshire Council's Planning authority following extensive pre application discussion including a number of public engagement drop in sessions, in which parents, carers and residents were invited to give their feedback.

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Today (Tuesday), they were put before members of the Council's Planning Committee, who approved the build.

Pamela Clifford, Chief Planning Officer at the Council, said: "I welcome the Committee's decision to approve these plans. When complete this will be a modern, purpose-built campus, with the capability increase outdoor learning, support more children with additional needs and also address the future needs of the area."

Laura Mason, Chief Education Officer at the Council, added:  "We are committed to investing in our young people by enhancing educational facilities and in turn increasing opportunities to attain and achieve. This new campus will transform the education of our current pupils by moving them to a brand new purpose-built learning environment and I know this has been welcomed by parents and carers."

Lynne Dempster, Head Teacher at Renton Primary School, said: "I am delighted that the plans for the new campus have been approved today. There are clear educational benefits for pupils in this area to learn in such a modern building and we look forward to seeing work on the site progress."

Materials used in the construction will be chosen to enhance the regeneration of the village and blend in with the Category 'A' listed Smollet Monument and the 'B' listed War Memorial situated close to the site.

Careful consideration has been given to traffic and parking around the new campus with plans to introduce a one-way drop-off zone entering at Station Street, exiting at Back Street. The plans outline 68 designated parking spaces within the site for the new campus, six of these being accessible bays.

(MH/JG)