THE Buckland and Milber area of Newton Abbot could soon boast a state-of-the-art primary school and a separate specialist children's centre after it was confirmed that Milber infant and junior schools will merge. The decision was made at County Hall on Wednesday and the 'shadowing' governing body of the new, and as yet un-named school, will meet for the first time on Monday. Otherwise, the existing arrangements will remain unaltered until April 1 next year. At first the new school, under the control of one headteacher, will use the two existing sites and cater for 280 three to 11-year-olds. It will also offer the equivalent of 26 full-time nursery places. But county councillor and chairman of governors at the infant school, Cllr Gordon Hook, said it should only be a matter of time before the county invests in new facilities. 'My support for the merger is based on the promise of a purpose-built, state-of-the-art building on the current junior school site,' he said. 'I've seen the future in Teignmouth where two schools merged and redevelopment produced magnificent facilities. I want nothing less for Milber and Buckland.' He added: 'I also believe we should retain the nursery school site and develop Newton Abbot's second child centre there, the first of which is planned for Highweek.' Cllr Hook said the centre would provide a 'one stop shop' for parents where they could receive all the advice and possibly even health care their children would need. Aware that some parents had opposed the merger he said: 'This has been a long, drawn out and stressful business and my hope is that now all the doubt and uncertainty is over the community will unite. 'What we need now is a period of healing as I truly believe that this opportunity is really good news for the children of Buckland and Milber.'
