A DISPUTE has broken out between Wantage Town Council and a town’s secondary school over plans for a new science block.

Councillors said they were worried that King Alfred’s Academy’s planned science block could create “obnoxious fumes” and added it was unclear how they would be dealt with.

The council has also suggested the area proposed for the building, south of Church Street, could be better used for retail development.

The school has applied for planning permission to build the multi-million pound new block on the old site of Wantage CofE Primary School. It would have 14 laboratories and two food technology classrooms in two storeys.

But Wantage Town Council has written a “holding objection” to the planning authority, Vale of White Horse District Council, saying the plan is premature because a team of volunteers is currently drawing up a residents’ planning charter called Wantage Neighbourhood Plan.

The council wrote: “The development is considered as premature given the imminent completion of work on the Neighbourhood Plan.

“The Neighbourhood Plan steering group is currently considering whether the area south of Church Street is to be deemed suitable for retail development.

“The height of the building could be overbearing on adjoining properties and the street scene.”

The town council also warned that objections from neighbours should be taken into account, and said: “The need for a building of such height in this location needs to be questioned.”

The objection concluded: “The nature of use of a science block could create obnoxious fumes. It is unclear from the plans how these might be dealt with.”

The new science block is part of a planned £14m redevelopment at the school’s Centre Site on Portway. That would allow it to sell off its East Site on Springfield Road and operate on just Centre Site and West Site on Challow Road.

Simon Spiers, executive headteacher of the Vale Academy Trust which runs King Alfred’s, said: “We are seeking clarification from the town council and expect to soon be in a position whereby the town council will understand our plans and why they are an essential part of our long-term vision to improve our facilities .”