Work is continuing on Staffordshire’s first brand new secondary school for 25 years as new road construction for a major business and housing development nearby gathers pace.

Construction began on the 1440 place secondary school on Branston Road near Burton late last year and is progressing well. Nearby new roads to access the Branston Locks developments are being built, along with a new road bridge across the canal, and scheduled to be completed in the autumn. The total investment in the area could be over £800million.

The £30million school is being built in response to planned housing developments and an increasing birth rate in the Burton area, which mean up to 3,500 new secondary school places will be needed in the town over the next 15 years.

Officers from Staffordshire County Council, Seddon Construction and Entrust, as well as the local parish, borough and county councillors were taken on a tour of the site to see first-hand how the construction is going.

They were also taken on a tour of the Branston Locks site, which will see 2,500 houses built along with a range of community facilities and a 50-acre employment site, which will be known as Quintus. There will also be retail, health, leisure and recreational facilities, as well as provision for older people.

Staffordshire County Council leader Philip Atkins, who attended the site visit, said:  “Burton is a centre for tremendous growth, as we have seen with the development of Branston Locks.  The new school will ensure all children growing up in Burton now and in the future can get the very best start in life, and it was fantastic to see how well construction is progressing.

“It has also been pleasing to see the new road and bridge at Branston Locks taking shape which will provide access to the new business park and housing. This is another example of how the county council with the Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership is laying the foundations for the creation of new homes, jobs and continued prosperity in Staffordshire.”

Phil Kennedy, business unit director from Seddon who are delivering the high school development said: “Work on the high school is progressing really well and we were delighted to welcome visitors from the council and local parishes onto site. The development programme and investment in the Branston area brings with it fantastic opportunities and we are thrilled to be a part of it.”

When the road scheme is completed, Nurton Developments (Quintus Ltd) will move on site to carry out the main Branston Locks project, together with residential developers.

The roads project is being funded through the Government’s Local Growth Deal, which was accessed by the county council and Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership. Nurton Developments has also made a substantial contribution.