Plans for a new school in Godmanchester are moving forward after a potential sponsor was chosen to run the facility.

Godmanchester Community Education Trust (GCET) has been given the backing by Cambridgeshire County Council in a two-horse race to run what will become the town’s third primary school. The other candidate was the Diocese of Ely Multi-Academy Trust.

The decision still needs the approval of the secretary of state, but if that is confirmed it would allow GCET to manage a new school on the planned Bearscroft Farm estate, opening in September 2016.

The trust currently runs Godmanchester Community School and the plan would be to have one headteacher across both schools but a new deputy head for the 420-place Bearscroft primary.

Philip Mackay, chairman of GCET, told The Hunts Post: “I am delighted we have been chosen to set up the school. This is an exciting but challenging development which will benefit the community.

“It is our aim to ensure that all schools locally benefit by working in partnership and this will be a major step in helping establish the new families within the wider Godmanchester community.”

He added: “Instead of running one school, we would be running two. We would set it up as a community school and run it along the same lines as the existing one. It should improve the existing school through more resources and collaboration.”

The trust was chosen by CCC’s children and young people’s committee last Tuesday.

The school will provide places for five to 11-year-olds of families expected to move onto Bearscroft, where 750 homes are to be built, and other new developments.

Committee chairman Councillor Joan Whitehead said: “Extra places will be urgently needed by September 2016 and I am pleased officers have recognised and responded to this need.”

Construction work at Bearscroft is expected to start next spring.