Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timeline is for the delivery of new free schools approved in principle, including the (a) key stages from approval to opening, (b) typical duration of each stage and (c) factors impacting delivery times; and what the status is of the proposed Lime Academy school in March, Cambridgeshire, including (i) progress on site identification, (ii) anticipated pupil capacity, (iii) estimated capital cost and (iv) expected opening date.

New free school projects that are centrally delivered by the department typically progress through six key stages: pre‑feasibility (including finding a suitable site), feasibility, procurement, design and planning, construction and handover, and post‑completion use. Utilising delivery data from the past 5 years, average durations are up to a year for feasibility, 18 months for procurement, and 18-24 months for construction. Delivery timelines can be impacted by a number of factors such as securing a suitable site and constraints, planning or environmental issues, and market conditions affecting costs and materials.

For Lime Academy March, a site off Kingswood Road has been identified and lease terms are under negotiation. The school is planned to provide 210 places for pupils aged 2–19. Capital costs are not yet confirmed at this stage. Current assumptions indicate an opening date no earlier than September 2029.