A school in Bushey has announced a multi-million pound development plan to expand, subject to planning permission.

St Margaret's School, in Merry Hill Road, currently operates from two sites, one on either side of the road, and is looking to undertake significant refurbishment and redevelopment of its main northern campus over the next 10 years.

The works include the development of a new Preparatory School on the northern site. Part of the southern site will therefore be surplus to requirements and the school is working with CALA Homes to redevelop the area to provide a range of high quality new homes.

They are proposing to create 25 homes on the southern site, through the refurbishment and conversion of some of the existing buildings and areas of new build.

The scheme also includes a new drama and lecture theatre, improved IT facilities, a new music centre, a modernised sixth form centre, and investment in the school's Science laboratories and boarding accommodation.

Headmistress Lynne Crighton said: "The multi-million pound development plan will ensure that we maintain cutting edge facilities across the curriculum. This is a very exciting phase in the development of the school.

"The new sixth form centre offers our senior girls increased freedom and independence coupled with greater self-reliance as they move towards life at university. "

She added: "It is wonderful that we have just been granted listed building consent, and have already begun work on developing the new sixth form centre, high specification drama accommodation and flexible theatre and lecture provision.

"With our expanding pupil roll and strong hopes for a successful planning application in the summer, our longer term development plan includes even more multi-million pound investment projects, such as a new Science Centre, a new Boarding House, general development of state of the art teaching space and much, much more."

Chairman of the Board of Governors, Margaret Rudland, said: "St Margaret's continues to prosper with our pupil numbers higher than at any point in the last decade, and it is an ideal time to invest for the future.  The new capital development builds on our existing strengths and will provide a truly outstanding educational facility for our girls."

A second public consultation event is open to local residents on Wednesday, January 29 from 5pm until 8pm in the main school hall. Work on the new sixth form centre began on January 6.