THE permanent site for Woking’s new secondary school will be fully paid for by the Education Funding Agency (EFA), it has been announced.

Hoe Valley, currently based in temporary buildings in Woking Park, will eventually move to permanent premises in Egley Road.

Leader John Kingsbury told the Full Meeting of Woking Borough Council on Thursday last week about the news from the EFA.

“The EFA are paying in full for the school and the permanent site is on schedule to open in September 2018.

“I am grateful to strategic asset manager Ian Tomes and his team, the council’s legal officers and the Chief Executive and everyone who has been involved to help make this happen. A new school in Heathlands Ward is an excellent result and a welcome addition to the borough.”

Hoe Valley School is in its second year based in a former car park near Woking Park, using the nearby leisure centre for PE and rooms at Woking Football Club for meals.

It will move in 2018 to a purpose-built school on a 22-acre site off Egley Road, where there will also be community sports facilities operated by Freedom Leisure on behalf of Woking Borough Council and available to the school.

These will include a fitness gym and dance studios, an athletics track, three five-a-side sports feildsand two grass football pitches.

The school is already providing much needed secondary places in the area, taking pressure off existing schools such as Woking High, The Winston Churchill and St John the Baptist. Subject to planning permission, the facilities at Woking Park will be extended for September 2017’s intake of Year 7 children.

Meanwhile, the ground floor concrete slab of the three-storey building is now being completed and the contractors are due to start putting up the steel frame.

Work will start on reorganising the site entrance in Egley Road after Christmas.

A temporary 30mph speed limit will be in force from the Mayford Roundabout to Old Hill for nine months from Monday 9 January for highways alterations to take place.