The chair of governors at a school in Welwyn Garden City is "thrilled" after new windows were approved following a 30-year battle.

The post-war Grade II-listed building that Templewood Primary School calls home still has its original single-glazed windows – which have led to a £45,000 a year energy bill and pupils being forced to wear coats in winter because it is so cold.

That is set to change after councillors went against a recommendation that they refuse permission for new heritage windows and doors at a packed Development Management Committee meeting last Thursday (September 12).

A Templewood Primary School pupil outside the council meeting.A Templewood Primary School pupil outside the council meeting. (Image: Christopher Day)

Hillary Skoczylas, the school's chair of governors, admitted she was "thrilled" with the decision, even though work still needs to be done to meeting planning conditions and find funding.

"We are relieved and absolutely thrilled," she told the Welwyn Hatfield Times.

"After more than 30 years of going back and forward and nothing happening, this is a great first step. It’s not the end of the road, but we are finally over the starting line.

READ MORE: New windows for listed Welwyn Garden City primary school after 30-year battle

"We’ve got the listed building consent now, but it’s a Hertfordshire County Council owned building, so we will be working with them to find ways to fund it, and then there’s the procurement process.

"We’re looking forward to working them to make things happen, but this isn’t going to be an overnight thing."

Explaining why the new windows are so important, Hillary added: "The key thing is that these windows will provide a safer and more comfortable learning environment for our children, and for future generations of children.

The old windows at Templewood.The old windows at Templewood. (Image: Carbon Engineering/Templewood Governors)

"The welfare and safety is so important, but it will also provide us with a more stable and financially viable future."

At the meeting last week, campaigners gathered outside the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council offices to show their support.

Hillary was keen to thank them for their support, saying: "It was amazing, and I would really like to thank the Welwyn Garden City community for their support.

"We had parents and grandparents of former and current pupils, teachers and governors past and present come down, and I received so many messages of support too.

"It was a huge effort from everybody, and they really helped us."