Leicestershire County Council has dropped plans for a new 420-place primary school on the southern edge of Loughborough following a review of pupil forecasts.
The school was planned for a housing development off Terry Yardley Way, near Woodthorpe. The Reform UK-run authority removed the scheme from its long-term planning after concluding that primary pupil numbers in the south Loughborough area would fall significantly over the next 15 years.
The project had been expected to cost around £14m, though the council said it had not yet committed any funding to it.
Capacity already available
Leicestershire County Council identified 10 primary schools within two miles of the proposed site. Officials calculated there would be a surplus of 590 places in the area within four years.
Primary pupil numbers across the area are forecast to fall from the current 2,875 to 2,035 by 2041-42.
Renata Chantrill, the council's head of strategy and education sufficiency, said: "We regularly review plans for new schools to make sure they reflect the latest pupil forecasts, housing growth and the number of places already available locally. The latest evidence shows there is sufficient capacity in existing primary schools around south Loughborough to meet expected demand, including demand from planned housing growth. With primary pupil numbers also forecast to fall, building an additional school would create places that aren't currently needed and could put further pressure on existing local schools."
Concerns raised about access
Beverley Gray, the Labour county councillor for Loughborough South, expressed concern about the decision. In a representation to the council's cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Gray said she was worried pupils from the new housing development would have to travel further to reach nearby schools, some of which were already oversubscribed.
Gray also raised concerns about travel routes, noting that some paths lacked cycle routes, meaning parents would likely need to drive, adding to congestion.
Other school projects proceeding
The council confirmed that a new 420-place primary school serving the Garendon Park housing development, to the north of Loughborough, is set to open in September 2027. A 570-place school in the new Broadnook development, north of Birstall, is also scheduled for September 2027.