YOUNG musicians at a Felixstowe high school will have more room to make music thanks to a new building project.Deben High School – which has just launched a bid to become a specialist arts centre – is seeking planning permission for two extensions.

YOUNG musicians at a Felixstowe high school will have more room to make music thanks to a new building project.

Deben High School – which has just launched a bid to become a specialist arts centre – is seeking planning permission for two extensions.

It wants to build an additional science laboratory at its campus in Garrison Lane, and also to add three music practice rooms.

The school has a rich musical talent with an acclaimed jazz band, string and percussion groups, and youngsters throughout the school learning and playing musical instruments to a high standard.

The practice rooms are to be created by filling in an outside corridor between two other buildings behind the technology block.

Planners are happy with the proposal – the county development control sub committee is recommended to approve the project on May 6 – and say the music rooms will need acoustic insulation.

An objection has been received from a resident in Nursery Walk who fears noise will escape from the music rooms, but the property is 80 metres away with buildings in between.

The school is also planning more extensions which it hopes to be able to afford if it gains arts school status, which will trigger a £100,000 government cash boost plus significant extra money for staff and resources.

Deben, which already holds the Arts Mark Gold achievement award, would be able to build a new performance space to be used by the school during the day, and then in the evenings by the town's many theatre and dance groups.

It needs to raise £50,000 for the arts school status bid and so far has raised around £8,000.

Fundraising under the banner "Better pupils, better citizens, better town", the school hopes to persuade businesses to give sponsorship, obtain grants from charities and other organisations, while pupils and parents will raise money.