London has a rising population and we have talked many times about the housing crisis this is causing. Work is going on to creating new homes but this has had a knock on affect on schooling. There are concerns that competition for places will become even greater and put students at risk of missing out. Fortunately the Department for Education (DfE) is also working to find sites to create new schools.

The DfE set up LocatED last year with a £2 billion budget and the target of creating 110 new schools. A big step forward was taken recently when plans for the first one on Kingston High Street gained approval.

GEMS Kingston Primary Academy will be built on a site currently taken up by four office buildings. These will be demolished to create the 2,044 square metre school. The design will feature two different structures linked with a glazed bridge. Once finished there will be 420 places up for grabs.

In addition to the school 11 flats will be created in the area promising great views of the Thames and nearby Hampton Court Palace. These will be fantastic investment opportunities and can help to unlock additional funding for other projects.

The location of the new primary school is fantastic and will place it in close proximity to the local college and university. It will also be highly accessible via road and under a mile from Kingston Station.

Although it offers many benefits the location also makes the project a little trickier. Accessibility during the construction will be more restricted and neighbouring properties need to be considered. Fortunately with the right architects (for this project it is Architecture Initiative) the challenges can inspire the most creative designs.

The creation of a new school will make the area even more popular with young families. This could offer fantastic opportunities for investors with properties on offer locally.

At Finefair we have grown to become a leading lettings agent Kingston Upon Thames landlords and tenants can rely on. Our services are devised to ensure that all parties are happy and satisfied. As a result we manage properties with care and deliver excellent standards.

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