AN ambitious £10 million plan to overhaul Knutsford’s schools, first mooted in early 2016, has been shelved.

The Kingfield Project, launched as a joint venture by Cheshire East Council, The Crown Estate, Knutsford Academy and Egerton Primary School in March last year, had aimed to deliver an ‘all age’ education for the town’s children.

The crux of the plan involved relocating Egerton Primary School onto the Academy’s Westfield Drive site on Westfield Drive, with potential to expand to a two-form entry.

Students from Years 7 to 13 would have in turn moved to a ‘significantly enhanced' and updated Bexton Road site, but a change in direction and new financial constraints have forced the council to curtail its expectations.

A CEC spokesman said: “The original concept for the Kingfield project was exciting and ambitious.

“However, discussions have revealed that while there continues to be an appetite for some elements of the original scheme, the council has to tailor its expectations more modestly in the light of a changing strategic direction and financial constraints placed upon the council.

“However, the council remains committed to the future expansion of primary school capacity in Knutsford to meet the anticipated demand resulting from expected housing growth in the town.

“We hope to be able to provide further updates in due course.”

The site between the two schools was earmarked for ‘extensive development’ for outdoor sporting facilities, with all work facilitated by a transfer of land from the Crown Estate, who would have built around 30 new homes in the area.

A Knutsford Multi-Academy Trust spokesman said: “One of the original aims was to provide an all-age education from two to 18. As a school we remain committed to deliver this and will continue to work with CEC and Egerton Primary School to explore opportunities available within KMAT.

“We maintain the aspiration to develop the sporting facilities across the Academy site for the benefit of young people, and are seeking alternatives as to how we can approach this.

"The Academy has seen ongoing success and is now featuring as a top performing state school nationally. Our overarching objective is ensuring Knutsford children get the very best education.”

Egerton Primary School governors said: “We are committed to providing an excellent education for pupils at Egerton through dynamic teaching, a highly creative curriculum and supportive environment.

"We remain committed to working closely with KMAT in the best interests of our children and their future.”

Plans were due to be submitted in late 2016, but were postponed. The project website is no longer active.