PLANS to build a new Church of England school as part of a major housing development have been unveiled.

The Church is proposing to open a new primary school at Wynyard, near Billingham, which would be paid for by the Department for Education.

It is anticipated that there will be demand if a planning application from Cameron Hall developments, associated with well-known businessman Sir John Hall, to build 500 homes is approved.

However, the Cameron Hall plan to extend the current Wynyard Village and create new retail unit, is only one of three major housing schemes planned for the area.

A revised plan to build 200 houses at land north of the A689 at Wynyard Business Park will be considered by Hartlepool Borough Council’s planning committee in the coming months.

The original plan, by Wynyard Park Developments, was to build 600 homes, but the company has now submitted a smaller plan after the original was deferred by Hartlepool council.

A third scheme, also from Wynyard Park, is to build 400 houses, local centre and games area in the locality and that is to be considered by Stockton council.

If all three schemes are approved 1,100 new homes could be built, and there has been opposition from residents worried about the increase in traffic on the A689 and A19.

The Church of England has started a consultation process partly designed to prove to the Department of Education there is demand for a new school.

Archdeacon of Sunderland, Stuart Bain, chairman of the Diocesan Board of Education, said: “We want to be part of this and we think we can deliver a really good school.”

Applications for the new Wynyard Church of England Primary School will be permitted from local children of any faith and it is hoped nursery places will also be available.

If planning permission for the Cameron Hall development is successful the Church of England will apply to the Department of Education in May.

At nearby Ingleby Barwick, south Stockton, a housing developer recently agreed to build to a new school after it won permission to build 350 houses on the same site at no cost to the tax-payer.

Anyone wishing to comment on the Wynyard school can do so at wynyardprimary.org.uk