Major city school expansion set for approval

The project would create 300 additional school places at Bluecoat Wollaton Academy (BWA)

A multi-million pound expansion of a school in Nottingham is expected to be approved to help solve a shortage of classroom places.

Nottingham City Council wants to develop 12 extra classrooms at Bluecoat Wollaton Academy (BWA).

The move would allow the school's roll to grow by 300, to 1,050, if it is given the green light by the council's own planning committee on Wednesday.

The expansion would increase full-time staff from 87 to 90, and the number of part-time staff by seven, to 34, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

The school has been "significantly oversubscribed", and using temporary classrooms to meet demand, the LDRS added.

The plans include a new three-court sports hall

Council planning documents said: "The proposed expansion of the BWA addresses a shortage of secondary school places within the city, with the greatest need in central, west, southwest, and northern areas.

"All secondary schools within Nottingham city are academies, and the council has no power to direct their expansion.

"Additionally, local authorities are required to support the expansion of schools rated 'good' or above by Ofsted.

"While the council has engaged with all secondary academies within the city, the expansion of the BWA is the only viable option."

The documents added: "The BWA delivers excellent educational outcomes, with an Ofsted rating of outstanding in all categories. Furthermore, its geographical location corresponds with the areas of the city with greatest need for secondary school places."

A new three-court sports hall is also proposed with 38 additional parking spaces.

Some objections to the expansion have been lodged with the council, including claims that there will be "chaos" outside the school, in Sutton Passeys Crescent, at pick-up and drop-off times.

The council's planners said: "The concerns raised by residents about existing travel to and from the academy, compounded by the narrowness of Sutton Passeys Crescent and the potential for these to be exacerbated by an expansion in pupil numbers, are acknowledged."

However, they said there had been no objections from the colleagues in the transport department, adding: "Consequently, there are no planning grounds to conclude that the proposal would lead to a significant increase in traffic that would warrant refusal of the application."