Primary and pre-schools in Red Lodge, between Bury St Edmunds and Mildenhall, to see outside improvements following West Suffolk Council approval

Primary and pre-schools are set to see improvements to their outside areas following council approval.

Planners at West Suffolk Council have backed proposals for the works at The Pines Primary School and Pine Cones Pre-School, in Manor Wood, Red Lodge.

The bid was submitted by the county council's children and young people's department (CYP), which commissioned Concertus to carry out the works.

These will be separated into three areas, with the pre-school set to have its natural grass replaced with artificial grass, and the early years outside area receiving a combination of a type of rubber surfacing known as wet pour and artificial grass.

Meanwhile, the main playground will have the wet pour under the benches and play equipment, with artificial grass set to be placed elsewhere.

New trees will be planted across the site.

A statement from Concertus said the school, which was completed in 2018, had struggled to establish a number of outside elements due to issues, including poor quality, dry, sandy soil conditions and the exposed nature of the site.

It said: "The proposed scheme aims to improve the external environment for pupils and staff at the school, following the unsuccessful establishment of some of the original scheme."

The county council's CYP department will fund the project and no change to the number of pupils is planned.