Archbishop Temple CofE Secondary School seeks permission to install temporary classrooms & toilets
A secondary school in Preston is seeking permission to erect various new buildings on its grounds.
Last week, Archbishop Temple Church of England Secondary School submitted two separate planning applications to Preston City Council involving the construction of new buildings.
The first seeks permission for the “siting of two storey temporary modular classroom and one storey temporary modular WC cabin”.
The second then seeks the “siting of a single storey modular building for the use as a maintenance workshop in association with the existing Archbishop Temple C of E High School”.
These new planning applications come months after plans for new developments at the St Vincents Road school were revealed last summer.
In July 2025, Archbishop Temple applied for the special permission necessary to carry out alterations that would create a new science laboratory, an extra classroom, music room, a meeting space, and extra capacity in the dining hall.
This was approved in October but a second application, for a new two-storey block, was submitted just a week later in July and no decision is listed on that still - despite it being eight months ago.
That two storey block - due to be attached to the sports hall – was stated as being necessary so that the school could admit an extra 55 pupils each year over the next five years, eventually taking its total roll up to around 1,050 students.
Whilst it is not yet clear if that block was approved or not, the new plans revealed last week have also been submitted to account for a growing student population.
In the Design and Access Statement for the ‘Temporary Modular Classrooms’ application, the agent, AHR Building Consultancy, writes that their client, the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education “have confirmed an increase in pupil capacity and whilst these works are being completed to the school to meet this increase, the following temporary facilities are required; 4 classrooms, 2 general teaching spaces; 2 IT rooms, as well as additional requirements for an office and pupil toilets.”
The Design and Access Statement for the new mantaince workshop also explains it is necessary as the ongoing works at Archbishop means “the school’s site team need to be relocated“ and the creation of a new workshop “will allow them to maintain the listed building and school grounds”.
The temporary classrooms and the workshop are both proposed to be erected on the school car park so as “not to encroach on the surrounding fieleds or affect the biodversity in the area”.
The classroom unit will be two storey, to limit the reduction of car parking spaces, and also feature a storeroom to be shared between the four classrooms, a toilet and flexible office space.
Whilst this will still result in a loss of 11 car parking spaces, the number of car parking spaces is left at 79 which is still more than the legal requirements for the number of staff members - 71 spaces.
The workshop meanwhile will not decrease the number of parking spaces as it will be located on the perimeter of the car park, and it will be single storey to “protect the privacy of the surrounding neighbours”.
The two new blocks of seven toilets each- required as an increase in pupil numbers has led to a shortfall in toilet facilities- will then be located to the east side of the school, by the music block, as this area is “currently being impacted most by limited provision”.
Regarding both the temporary classrooms, the temporary toilets and new workshop, the agent adds: “Careful consideration has been taken to ensure that the proposals have minimal disruption onthe school, neighbours and greenspace on the site. The modular building will be completely fabricated off site and transported to the school on completion meaning very little disruption willbe generated by the construction. This off-site fabrication will also reduce the environmentalimpact as well as the impact on the surrounding traffic and residents. “