STOVER School has launched a funding appeal to raised £500,000 towards its new state-of-the-art multi-sports facility.

The private school was given planning permission by Teignbridge Council for the £2.5m project last October.

The new building will provide facilities for tennis, cricket, netball, badminton, basketball with a focus on health, wellbeing and environmental sustainability.

The school’s aim is for the new facility to be shared between its pupils and local clubs, families and groups.

Stover School governors have committed £1million funding from the school’s reserve fund, matched by a further £1million loan.

Construction is planned to begin in Autumn 2026.

But a Just Giving campaign has now been launched to raise the remaining half a million pounds.

A spokesman said: ‘This is a chance for the whole community to be part of something lasting.

‘Every gift counts, whatever the size.’

The plans have been described as a ‘brilliant and much-needed resource’.

The planning application said the facility would ‘improve the educational experience of school pupils’ and ‘resolves operational issues currently experienced due to poor quality temporary buildings’.

It also said the plans ‘future proof the school as a good custodian of the estate’ while supporting ‘further engagement with the local community and supply chain’.

Supporters of the project said the facility would ‘provide a much needed sports facility to the local community’.

Another supporter said: ‘Supporting investment and development in education is essential to our national interest and Stover is one of the best examples of how a school should be; it deserves to flourish and succeed now and for future generations of pupils.’