NEW hope has been given to dreams of a primary school in Rendlesham and consultation with residents is due to start in the next few months.Villagers have been campaigning for a school in their village for months and had begun to feel frustrated with the county council's apparent lack of interest.

NEW hope has been given to dreams of a primary school in Rendlesham and consultation with residents is due to start in the next few months.

Villagers have been campaigning for a school in their village for months and had begun to feel frustrated with the county council's apparent lack of interest.

But last week a county education officer attended the parish council meeting, along with Peter Monk, county councillor for the area.

Residents were given a chance to put a long list of questions to them and said they feel they are finally being listened to.

Parish council clerk George Newsome said: "The council have now begun to prepare consultation documents which they plan to distribute during July and August so it's a positive step forward. Although it's a bit later than we anticipated."

A school is written in to the long-term plans for the village and residents believe that the on-going development of Rendlesham will mean it is a necessity before long.

At the moment children have to be bussed out to schools in Eyke and the Sandlings airbase in Woodbridge.

A council spokesman confirmed these schools currently have adequate spaces and can cater for the existing numbers plus those from the next few years of housing development.

He said: "We are currently planning for the future needs of the Rendlesham community and developments at Woodbridge Army base, when the army intend housing families from 2006.

"We will be consulting about the various options with schools, parents and the local community later this year."