Part of Basingstoke school shut over concrete safety fears

Part of a school has been closed after the discovery of a type of concrete that has been prone to failure.

Hampshire County Council said reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was used in buildings at Cranbourne College in Basingstoke.

A national audit highlighted concerns over the lightweight material which was used between the 1950s and mid-1990s.

Temporary works have been carried out in one area to ensure it is safe, while another area has been taken out of use.

The authority said Cranbourne was the only school in the county where RAAC had been identified, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

A council spokesperson said: "At the end of 2022, the school was provisionally prioritised for capital investment under the government's £1bn School Rebuilding Programme.

"Works are anticipated to take place between April this year and 2028, with an exact timeframe to be determined by the Department for Education (DfE)."

Concerns over the use of RAAC at schools have been considered by DfE as a "potential risk" since late 2018 following a school roof collapse.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].