A school in Lympstone is seeking permission to replace a classroom which had been blighted by woodworm.

St Peter's Prep School, in Harefield, has submitted a plan to East Devon District Council for the structure, which would be built on the foundations of the former classroom, which has been demolished.

"The building we would like to replace was due to be refurbished, but closer examination showed significant damage caused by woodworm," the application states.

"The building was quite obviously unsafe to continue to use and was taken down to minimise the health and safety risk.

"Its foundations remain and are to be used as the template for a replacement building.

"The original building had been on the school site since 1949."

Since the building has been removed, a class has been 'squeezed' into an 'unsuitable location', the school said.

"In the interim period the class that should be occupying this space has had to be squeezed into an unsuitable location which, while compliant with educational regulations, does not provide the optimum space in order to achieve the best educational outcomes for the children," the application said.

"It is both commercially and educationally important that we address this shortcoming,."

The design of the building envisaged for the site was created to 'fit in' with the close-by 'Devon Lady'-style buildings, the application adds.

If approved, the school hopes work on the new structure will be carried out during the summer holidays.

St Peter's has around 300 pupils on roll, from the age of four to Year 8 and the school buildings are set in a 28-acre campus.
Fees for the school range from around £8,000 to £14,000 per year.