Project involves new school building and improvements to existing facilities

Buckley Gray Yeoman has won planning permission for a refurbishment and extension of Forest School on the edge of Epping Forest in Essex.

The project involves making improvements to the existing facilities at Forest School, extending a preparatory school and building a new digital learning centre.

The new Martin Building will be built of brick at first and second floor levels with small windows on the south elevation and a fully glazed elevation to the north overlooking the playing fields.

The extension to the two-storey preparatory school will provide three additional classrooms. A red-purple brick has been chosen to match the existing building.

Paul White, director at Buckley Gray Yeoman, said: “Leading independent schools are often steeped in heritage and our challenge at Forest School was to remain sensitive to this and the school’s remarkable location.”

Work is due to start on site in January 2013 with completion expected in September 2013.

Forest School was originally designed for 22 pupils but has grown to a collection of sixteen buildings for 1,200 students. Four of the existing buildings are Grade II listed.