Site for potential new school identified in the town. Mill Water is an integral part of Honiton and supported by every section of the community.

DELAYS in the development of Cranbrook could see Mill Water School staying in Honiton - on a new site.

Devon County Council, which has secured �5m funding for the project, is exploring the possibility of building a new school on an unidentified site on the edge of the town.

Mill Water, which is an integral part of Honiton, was due to be relocated to the new town, near Broadclyst, but concerns were expressed that the school could end up being the first new development - with no community around it.

A spokesman for Devon County Council told the Midweek Herald in a statement: “We have identified a site in Honiton which might be used to re-locate the school.

“After consulting with the head and governors, we are now actively negotiating with the owner about a possible purchase.

“We know how important it is that the school gets new buildings.

“We have a �5 million Government grant in the bank to put towards a new school.

“If we are able to buy the site and win planning permission for the development, we would need to top that grant up with more cash from the county council’s capital budget which won’t be decided until early next year.”

Pupils from Mill Water enjoy close community links in Honiton and have strong support from every quarter of the town, including business leaders.

Many residents, who are now in their 40s, enjoyed spending time at Mill Water as part of a buddy scheme promoted during the 1970s by the former head teacher of neighbouring Littletown Primary School, Mrs O C Galinski, and the then head at Mill Water, Mr Hopkins.