An Ely primary school will be getting an an extreme makeover to its outdoor space to enable children to remain more physically active - whatever the weather.

Planning permission has just been approved to tarmac a section of the top field at the Lantern Community Primary School to turn it into an all-weather surface to be used throughout the school day, as well as for out of school activities.

Headteacher David Lawrence said: “I’m delighted we’ve finally got permission to go ahead with this. It will improve the play facilities for the children enormously.”

Building is due to start in February, depending on weather, and will cover an L-shaped section of the field, which gets muddy throughout much of the year.

“Mr Lawrence said: “From October to May we have problems with the field as it is. This is the solution.

“For the children it’s going to be brilliant - they need space to run around. This means they can have it all year.”

The new playground, costing just over £70,000, is partly funded by £10,000 raised by Friends of the Lantern School, the school’s PTA, last year. 

The rest of the money comes from school funds and the Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT).

FOTLS chair Andrea Roose, whose son Milo, six, attends the school, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to contribute £10k to this project. 

“It reflects a fantastic year of fundraising by the committee and our volunteers and wouldn’t have been possible without the continued support of all our children, parents and the school.”

In addition the current trim trail equipment will be reconditioned or replaced within the next few weeks.

The school has just been gifted a section of grass by Ely College, which is also part of CMAT.

The Ely primary caters for about 450 children as well as running Goslings Pre-School.

Future plans include turning a strip of land at the side of the school into a vegetable garden.