PLANS for Southampton’s first all-through school have moved a step further.

A planning application to build a 900-place all-through school set to be built at the site of St Mark’s Church of England Primary School and the nearby ex-civil service playing fields in Freemantle have been submitted to Southampton City Council. 

The new buildings will provide spaces for a pre-school nursery, a two-form entry primary school and a six form entry secondary school.

A new sports building is also set to be built at the site and would be located centrally within the area.

Civic chiefs had said that although the design proposes separate wings for primary and secondary teaching spaces, these will be linked to enable the whole school to operate as one.

According to the plans cars will be able to access the site from Malmesbury Place and 57 parking spaces will be created at the school.

Official documents have revealed that traffic and parking are some of the issues that residents are concerned about.

But the authority stressed that  there is “ significant opportunity for sustainable travel” and that the level of parking provided is “in accordance with guidance as outlined within

Southampton City Council’s Parking Standards”.

In a document it also added: “It is noted that inappropriate parking is not shown to currently increase during the drop off and pick up period.  

An assessment of traffic impact has been undertaken. This demonstrates that the traffic impact of the proposals would be insignificant.”

As reported, the new school is expected to cost £39.8m.

It comes as the city council identified a need for 1,500 additional secondary school places by 2022.

In an official report it added: “The proposed development would assist in meeting this need by providing 900 secondary school places.

“Before deciding on St Mark’s as a location for additional school spaces Southampton City Council Education Team assessed the schools through the centre of the city, where the demand existed, and land available to the Council for education purposes. St Mark’s was the only site physically suitable to accommodate the additional school spaces.”

Earlier this year the authority said work could start in spring or summer next year and the new school could be completed in summer or autumn 2022.