School expansion approved as pupil numbers grow

Hallam Fields Primary School will now take two classes of new pupils a year

Proposals to expand a village primary school have been approved to meet growing pupil numbers.

Leicestershire County Council has granted planning permission for two extensions to the Hallam Fields Primary School, in Long Meadow Way, in Birstall.

There are currently about 200 children at the school, and the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said it was estimated there would be a predicted deficit of 200 places by 2028 if nothing was done.

Under the plans, the council will create classroom extensions on both the east and west sides of the current building.

The new wings will enable the school to take two classes of new pupils each year, instead of the one a year it does currently, the LDRS said.

Some residents on the nearby 900-home Hallam Fields housing estate raised concerns about traffic and parking if the school expands.

Council officers said those were "civil matters" rather than planning issues.

The authority's highways team had ruled the impact of the development to be "not unacceptable" and potential impacts on the road network as "not severe".

Some concerns were raised by officials that the development would be partially on green wedge land.

However, they said this was outweighed by the benefits of the new school places, adding there were "no alternative sites" that could accommodate the scheme.